Experts comment on Vical's CMV vaccine

In an editorial commentary in the current issue of the Journal of Infectious Diseases, independent experts on cytomegalovirus said the vaccine under development by US biopharmaceutical firm Vical, at the optimal dose and regimen tested, "holds promise" based on its ability to elicit persistent immune responses in a majority of CMV-seronegative subjects, and warrants further evaluation for its potential to prevent infection and disease. The commentary accompanies the issue's lead article, which expands on previously reported immunogenicity data from a Phase I study of the immunotherapeutic DNA vaccine.

The senior author on the JID article, Michael Boeckh, said: "despite antiviral drug therapies, CMV infection continues to be a problem in the transplant setting. CMV immunity appears to play a critical role in controlling viral load and disease in these patients. The ability to stimulate CMV immunity with vaccination may have an important role in the management of CMV infection and disease in transplant patients. Clinical trials are ongoing to test this strategy."

"We are advancing well toward completion of enrollment in our Phase II CMV vaccine trial," said Ronald Moss, vice president of clinical development at Vical, "and are on track for our planned interim evaluation of safety and efficacy data in the second half of 2008. Our immunotherapeutic vaccine may help address the serious healthcare problem of CMV reactivation for transplant patients, and could eventually be useful in preventing birth defects caused by CMV infection of pregnant women."