Vical is touting interim Phase III data from AnGes regarding an experimental therapy to expand blood vessels. AnGes licensed Vical's DNA delivery technology for the development program and reported that 70.4 percent of the patients taking the therapy reported improvements in chest pain, the primary endpoint for the trial. Only 30.8 percent of patients taking a placebo reported an improvement, prompting the data monitoring committee to suggest ending the trial to avoid any ethical issues that would arise. The treatment uses Vical technology to deliver a gene encoding Hepatocyte Growth Factor, a human protein that causes angiogenesis in areas of restricted blood flow. AnGes plans to file for approval in Japan.
"The successful Phase III results from our Japanese licensee position the AnGes product candidate to be the first approved for human use based on our DNA delivery technology and provide proof of concept for DNA delivery in the treatment of disease," said Vijay B. Samant, president and CEO of Vical.
- read the AP report on Vical