Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Biotech / Medical : VICL (Vical Labs) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: F. Jay Abella, III who wrote (450)	12/5/1997 10:35:00 AM
From: Rainforest	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1972

Hi, Jay. Thank you for the informative post. Seems obvious they are talking about RPR's malaria trials using Vical's technology. First indication we've had that they are starting human studies. Also first indication of possible side effects of the naked DNA method. Are you still positive on Vical? What is your estimate of its fair value in light of the new Merck licensing & investment in the company? Where do you see the stock price going in the short and long term?

To: F. Jay Abella, III who wrote (450)	12/5/1997 4:23:00 PM
From: Brian Malloy	Respond to of 1972

Yes, the general gist of this article is familiar. Two researches from VICAL are listed on the article that I read. The one thing that I would say is that the Nature article writes: "Such vaccines are simple, containing only a gene plucked from a disease-causing organism and inserted into a circle of bacterial DNA known as a plasmid." There is a lot of work required to get to the point of inserting the gene into the plasmid. You have to find the right gene, have appropriate genes for co-expression. Even then you may not get the type of response expected and have to determine the most appropriate way to deliver the vaccine.

To: F. Jay Abella, III who wrote (450)	12/6/1997 4:11:00 PM
From: Brian Malloy	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1972

The specific article that I referred to was: Toward clinical trials of DNA vaccines against malaria Immunology and Cell Biology (1997) 75, 376-381 In the list of contributors to the article (of which there are 12 total) Peter Hobart and Jon A. Norman of Vical Incorporated, San Diego, California, USA are listed. While one does not want to overestimate the importance of scientific achievement, it is my opinion that the body of work done by the primary researchers (which probably would not include VICAL at this juncture) with regard to DNA plasmid vaccines and finding weaknesses in the Malaria life cycle that can be exploited by various methods is the type of work that can lead to a Nobel Prize in the future - should they be successful. The article ends with the following sentence. "DNA vaccines may or may not prove to be the final answer, but they have given us a handle on solving this problem that was previously unavailable."