SAN DIEGO, Oct. 16, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vical Incorporated (Nasdaq:VICL) announced today that George J. Morrow, former Executive Vice President of Global Commercial Operations at Amgen, Inc., has been appointed to Vical's Board of Directors. Mr. Morrow's previous career encompassed significant accomplishments in commercial operations, sales and marketing through a progression of executive management positions at Merck & Co., Inc. and Glaxo Wellcome plc.
"We are excited to have George Morrow join our Board of Directors," said Vijay B. Samant, President and Chief Executive Officer of Vical, "especially at this inflection point in our company's progress as we prepare for the potential commercialization of Allovectin®. George has a proven record of leadership over nearly 30 years in a series of pivotal assignments with three of the world's most successful biopharmaceutical companies. We are eager to draw on his highly relevant experience and keen insights as we advance our potentially paradigm-shifting new treatment for metastatic melanoma."
George J. Morrow
Mr. Morrow joined Amgen in 2001 as Executive Vice President, Worldwide Sales and Marketing, and advanced in 2003 to Executive Vice President, Global Commercial Operations, a position he held until his retirement in January 2011. Responsibilities in his most recent position included oversight of all commercial functions for Amgen's broad spectrum of products in more than 50 countries worldwide, and the introduction of multiple new products into global markets. From 1992 to 2001, Mr. Morrow held executive management and commercial positions within several subsidiaries of Glaxo Wellcome, including Group Vice President for Commercial Operations (U.S.), Managing Director (U.K.), and most recently as President and Chief Executive Officer of Glaxo Wellcome, Inc. (U.S.). His prior experience at Merck, from 1982 to 1992, included sales and marketing positions culminating as Vice President of Marketing.
Mr. Morrow earned a B.S. degree in chemistry from Southampton College, Long Island University; an M.S. degree in biochemistry from Bryn Mawr College; and an M.B.A. degree from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Align Technology, a global medical device company, and was a member of the Board of Directors of Human Genome Sciences, Inc., a biopharmaceutical discovery and development company, from March 2011 until its acquisition in August 2012 by GlaxoSmithKline plc. Mr. Morrow has served previously on boards for Glaxo Wellcome, Inc., the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, and the Duke University Fuqua School of Business.
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.
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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 regarding the development and potential commercialization of Allovectin®, the potential for Allovectin® to shift the melanoma treatment paradigm, and the future contributions of Mr. Morrow to Vical's Board of Directors. Actual results set forth in or implied by these forward-looking statements may differ materially as a result of various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include whether Vical or others will continue development of Allovectin® or any other product candidates; whether Allovectin® or any other product candidates will be successfully developed, approved or commercialized; whether Vical or its collaborative partners will seek or gain approval to market Allovectin® or any other product candidates; whether Vical or its collaborative partners will succeed in marketing Allovectin® or any other 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.