Vical Incorporated Successfully Opposes PowderMed Ltd's European Patent No. 0431135

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Vical Incorporated announced today the successful challenge to PowderMed Limited's European patent relating to particle-mediated DNA delivery. As a result of an opposition filed by Vical, the European Patent Office decided that PowderMed's patent should be revoked in its entirety, determining that the patent contained no allowable claims. The written decision will become available in due course, and PowderMed will have the opportunity to appeal. Pfizer Inc announced in early October that it had entered into an agreement to acquire PowderMed.

About Vical

Vical researches and develops biopharmaceutical products based on its patented DNA delivery technologies for the prevention and treatment of serious or life-threatening diseases. Potential applications of the company's DNA delivery technology include DNA vaccines for infectious diseases or cancer, in which the expressed protein is an immunogen; cancer immunotherapeutics, in which the expressed protein is an immune system stimulant; and cardiovascular therapies, in which the expressed protein is an angiogenic growth factor. The company is developing certain infectious disease vaccines and cancer therapeutics internally. In addition, the company collaborates with major pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology companies that give it access to complementary technologies or greater resources. These strategic partnerships provide the company with mutually beneficial opportunities to expand its product pipeline and address significant unmet medical needs. Additional information on Vical is available at www.vical.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Forward-looking statements include statements about Vical's technology and its current and potential applications, as well as the company's focus, collaborative partners, and product candidates. Risks and uncertainties include whether PowderMed will appeal the revocation of European Patent No. 0431135; whether such appeal, if undertaken, will be successful; whether such appeal, if successful, will impact the company's business; whether the company's technology will be successfully applied; whether any product candidates will be shown to be safe and effective in clinical trials, the timing, nature and cost of clinical trials, whether Vical or its collaborative partners will seek or gain approval to market any product candidates, whether Vical or its collaborative partners will succeed in marketing any product candidates, and additional risks set forth in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements represent the company's judgment as of the date of this release. The company disclaims, however, any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

Contacts: Investors: Media: Alan R. Engbring Susan Neath Vical Incorporated Porter Novelli Life Sciences (858) 646-1127 (619) 849-6007 Website: www.vical.com

CONTACT: Investors, Alan R. Engbring of Vical Incorporated,+1-858-646-1127; or Media, Susan Neath of Porter Novelli Life Sciences,+1-619-849-6007, for Vical Incorporated

Web site: http://www.vical.com/