Vical researches and develops biopharmaceutical products based on our patented DNA delivery technologies for the prevention and treatment of serious or life-threatening diseases.

Our active independent and partnered development programs include:

• Infectious disease vaccines for use in high-risk populations
• Infectious disease vaccines for general pediatric, adolescent and adult populations
• Cancer vaccines or immunotherapies
• Gene-based delivery of angiogenic growth factors for treatment of cardiovascular diseases

Headquartered in San Diego, CA, Vical is driven by 115 people from some 20 different countries. Vical is independently pioneering the development of paradigm-changing DNA vaccines and cancer immunotherapies, and is partnering with such industry leaders as Merck, sanofi-aventis, Novartis, Astellas, AnGes, Merial and the NIH.

Vical initially was formed by former Hybritech executives Howard Greene and Timothy Wollaeger and UCSD professors Karl Hostetler and Douglas Richman to explore the development of lipid-based delivery of antiVIrals and CALcitonin – hence VICAL. A surprise outcome in an experiment - in which the lipid-free control performed better than the test lipid - led to the discovery of the core technology behind all of Vical’s current programs. The Vical mission changed as a result, but the Vical name endured.