Vical Incorporated announced the grant of European Patent No. EP1026253, covering a significant portion of the company's core technology platform. European Patent No. EP0737750, granted in May 2003, covers another significant portion of the company's core technology platform. Together, these two divisional patents now cover the essential aspects of the company's initial European patent application based on the discovery underlying its core technology, according to a company release.

An earlier patent granted under the initial application, European Patent No. EP0465529, was revoked on "formal" grounds related to language structure. The two divisional patents overcome the language issues and restore the desired patent protection for these aspects of the company's core technology. As a result of the grant of these two key divisional patents, the company has discontinued its appeal of the '529 case, the release says.

Vijay B Samant, Vical's president and CEO, said, "We are pleased to have reestablished broad European patent protection for our core technology. Both the value of our technology and the strength of our intellectual property are reflected in our ongoing ability to establish and maintain out-licensing agreements. We intend to continue expanding our intellectual property position in key international regions as well as the United States."

Vical has issued and pending patents covering its core technology, technology enhancements, specific applications, and manufacturing methods. The company has licensed its technology to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies for applications it is not developing independently.

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