Vical, Astellas deal

Vical will receive a $10 million milestone payment from Astellas under a 2011 deal granting the pharma exclusive, worldwide rights to develop and commercialize Vical's TransVax cytomegalovirus (CMV) vaccine candidate. The payment was triggered by the partners finalizing the general design of an international Phase III trial with TransVax in hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients. The companies expect to start the trial next half. The partners added that based on guidance from FDA and EMA, the primary endpoint of the trial will not be CMV disease. The companies also plan to start a Phase II trial in solid organ transplant patients "shortly thereafter." ...