Vical $2 Million NIH Grant For Herpes Vaccine (VICL)

Vical, Incorporated (NASDAQ: VICL) has been awarded a $2 million Phase II small business technology transfer grant from the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases department from the National Institues of Health.

The grant is to fund an ongoing development of Vical’s plasmid DNA vaccine against Herpes simplex virus type 2.  This is none other than the sexually transmitted virus that causes genital herpes.

Research is being conducted at the University of Wasington and the University of Texas. The goal of the study is to be used in people who already have HSV-2 with a primary goal of reducing or eliminating periodic herpes viral flare-ups and the associated viral shedding and transmission.

The potential list of users could be tens of millions and there is currently no such vaccine or drug that is a true cure for this.

Vical’s market cap is a mere $146 million.

Jon C. Ogg
April 3, 2008