Vical news from FierceBiotech

San Diego-based Vical is reporting early-stage success with a new bird flu vaccine that relies on engineered bacteria to produce genes of the H5N1 virus. The DNA is combined with an adjuvant in a new Read more...

> Limerick BioPharma has ginned $11 million in venture funds and borrowed $4 million more to advance its work on the bioavailability of drugs. Arch Venture Partners, Sevin Rosen Funds and Altitude Read more...

> Visiomed Group and Clinical Cell Culture are merging into a $27 million biotech company. Read more...

Vical says its bird flu vaccine proved 100 percent effective in protecting ferrets from bird flu. Vical announced earlier that two doses of DNA vaccine was effective in protecting mice and ferrets. Vical's vaccine candidate is mixed with Vaxfectin adjuvant and viral proteins. Vical says it wants to begin human trials as soon as possible.

- here's the AP …

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> DURECT announced that Voyager Pharmaceutical had told the company that it was ending a Phase III trial of Memryte for Alzheimer's disease in order to get a possibly earlier look at efficacy data. Memryte uses DURECT's DURIN technology to provide sustained release of the peptide leuprolide acetate and is based on Voyager's patented method of treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Release

> Sanofi-aventis' allergy …

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David Kaslow, M.D. has announced plans to leave his job as chief scientific officer at Vical. He is returning to Merck & Co. Vical says it does not plan to replace Dr. Kaslow.

Neurologix has named John Mordock to the post of chief executive officer. Mordock, a partner of Red Bird Capital, is replacing Michael …

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Novartis signs two major licensing deals

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Japan's AnGes has agreed to pay up to $100 million in research funding and milestone fees in a licensing deal for Vical's Allovectin-7 cancer therapy. In exchange for the marketing rights in several Asian countries, AnGes will provide more than $22 million in cash and equity payments, including an initial $6.9 million equity payment. Vical will conduct the Phase III trial for Allovectin-7 in the U.S. and has begun recruitment for the study at the ASCO meeting this week in …

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The federal government plans to stockpile 75 million doses of antiviral drugs and 20 million doses of an experimental vaccine to help combat a potential bird flu pandemic. The plan is expected to be released later today, but The New York Times was briefed on the essential outlines of the government's response. In addition, the government has outlined plans to have police and the National Guard maintain public order, with help from the military as needed. And businesses are being …

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Antigen Express says that the FDA clearly spelled out a road map for testing an experimental synthetic peptide vaccine that could play a role in combating avian flu. Executives at the company, a subsidiary of Generex, said that they may be just weeks away from filing an IND on the vaccine. Earlier this month the FDA outlined the kind of data that it would expect to see from anyone working on a new vaccine. The agency said that the move clearly reflected the priority that was being given …

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