Vical licences cardiovascular target to AnGes MG

Japanese company AnGes MG, has licenced exclusive, worldwide rights to use Vical's patented non-viral gene delivery technology in the development and commercialisation of DNA-based products encoding Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF) for cardiovascular applications.

Under the licence agreement, Vical will receive an initial payment of $1.0m, and further development may lead to milestone and royalty payments.

AnGes MG is developing DNA-based delivery of HGF for indications related to peripheral arterial disease (PAD), which affects blood flow in the lower limbs, and ischemic heart disease (IHD), which affects blood supply to the heart muscle. AnGes MG initiated Phase II trials in the United States and Phase III trials in Japan in 2003 and 2004, respectively, with DNA-based HGF for PAD. The company also initiated Phase I trials in the US for IHD in 2004. AnGes MG has partnered with Daiichi Pharmaceutical for worldwide development and commercialisation of DNA-based HGF for PAD and IHD.

'We are very pleased to establish this angiogenesis collaboration with AnGes MG,' said Vijay Samant, president and chief executive officer of Vical. 'We are excited by the pace of their development in an area of tremendous unmet medical need. In addition to validating our international gene delivery intellectual property, our new partnership with AnGes MG offers the potential for rapid advancement into a significant sector of the global healthcare market.'

'The DNA-based HGF therapy, combining Vical's novel gene delivery technology with our own novel angiogenic agent, has a high potential to become one of the most innovative and revolutionary cardiovascular medicines,' said Dr Ei Yamada, president and chief executive officer of AnGes MG, 'as it will enable the neogenesis of blood vessels to be used for ischemic patients who are suffering from deteriorating blood circulation. The aim is to offer a revolutionary therapy in which the neogenesis of blood vessels will be possible with a simple injection.'

HGF is known to facilitate the growth of new blood vessels. DNA-based delivery is intended to cause production of HGF locally, at the site of injection, for an extended period. The resulting angiogenic effect is expected to alleviate ischemic disease, in which narrowed or diseased blood vessels restrict blood flow. DNA-based HGF may be effective for people who do not sufficiently respond to conventional drugs, balloon catheterisation, or surgery.