GeoVax Announces Issuance of Ebola Vaccine Patent

Addressing Multiple Strains of Ebolavirus

Atlanta, GA, July 24, 2023 – GeoVax Labs, Inc. (Nasdaq: GOVX), a biotechnology company developing immunotherapies and vaccines against cancers and infectious diseases, today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued Patent No. 11,701,418 B2 to GeoVax, pursuant to the Company’s patent application No. 15/543,139 titled “ Replication-Deficient Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) and Matrix Protein (VP40).”

GeoVax logo

The claims granted by the patent generally cover GeoVax’s vector platform for expressing ebolavirus antigens in virus-like particles (VLPs) utilizing an MVA viral vector. The claims encompass multiple ebolavirus strains, including Sudan ebolavirus, Zaire ebolavirus, Taï Forest ebolavirus, and Reston ebolavirus.

GeoVax previously demonstrated that a single intramuscular (IM) dose of its vaccine candidate, GEO-EM01, provided 100% protection in rhesus macaques challenged with a lethal dose of Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV). GEO-EM01 is based on the Company’s novel MVA-VLP platform, which generates noninfectious VLPs in the individual being vaccinated. VLPs mimic a natural infection, triggering the body to produce a robust and durable immune response with both antibodies and T cells.

Additionally, in July 2021, the Company announced results of preclinical efficacy studies of its Sudan ebolavirus (SUDV) vaccine candidate, in which a single dose of the vaccine protected 100% of small animals challenged with a lethal dose of SUDV. Dr. Jason Comer of Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), recently discussed GeoVax’s Sudan virus vaccine efficacy. His presentation to the Global Health Preparedness Strategy and Priority Pathogens session at the 23 rd Annual World Vaccine Congress demonstrated partial protection following lethal Sudan virus challenge in a rigorous cynomolgus macaque model. This research project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds under a Preclinical Services Contract from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health.

David Dodd, GeoVax President and CEO, commented, “While our focus and development priorities continue to be our COVID-19 vaccine and cancer immunotherapy programs, developing vaccines against lethal hemorrhagic fever viruses, represents our commitment to addressing highly fatal endemic threats throughout the world, as well as our support of critically important biodefense initiatives. This patent allowance adds to our growing portfolio of wholly owned, co-owned, and in-licensed intellectual property, now standing at over 115 granted or pending patent applications spread over 24 patent families.”

GeoVax Labs, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel therapies and vaccines for solid tumor cancers and many of the world’s most threatening infectious diseases. The company’s lead program in oncology is a novel oncolytic solid tumor gene-directed therapy, Gedeptin ® , presently in a multicenter Phase 1/2 clinical trial for advanced head and neck cancers. GeoVax’s lead infectious disease candidate is GEO-CM04S1, a next-generation COVID-19 vaccine targeting high-risk immunocompromised patient populations. Currently in three Phase 2 clinical trials, GEO-CM04S1 is being evaluated as a primary vaccine for immunocompromised patients such as those suffering from hematologic cancers and other patient populations for whom the current authorized COVID-19 vaccines are insufficient, and as a booster vaccine in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). In addition, GEO-CM04S1 is in a Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating the vaccine as a more robust, durable COVID-19 booster among healthy patients who previously received the mRNA vaccines. GeoVax has a leadership team who have driven significant value creation across multiple life science companies over the past several decades. For more information, visit our website: www.geovax.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements regarding GeoVax’s business plans. The words “believe,” “look forward to,” “may,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “should,” “plan,” “could,” “target,” “potential,” “is likely,” “will,” “expect” and similar expressions, as they relate to us, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Actual results may differ materially from those included in these statements due to a variety of factors, including whether: GeoVax is able to obtain acceptable results from ongoing or future clinical trials of its investigational products, GeoVax’s immuno-oncology products and preventative vaccines can provoke the desired responses, and those products or vaccines can be used effectively, GeoVax’s viral vector technology adequately amplifies immune responses to cancer antigens, GeoVax can develop and manufacture its immuno-oncology products and preventative vaccines with the desired characteristics in a timely manner, GeoVax’s immuno-oncology products and preventative vaccines will be safe for human use, GeoVax’s vaccines will effectively prevent targeted infections in humans, GeoVax’s immuno-oncology products and preventative vaccines will receive regulatory approvals necessary to be licensed and marketed, GeoVax raises required capital to complete development, there is development of competitive products that may be more effective or easier to use than GeoVax’s products, GeoVax will be able to enter into favorable manufacturing and distribution agreements, and other factors, over which GeoVax has no control.

Further information on our risk factors is contained in our periodic reports on Form 10-Q and Form 10-K that we have filed and will file with the SEC. Any forward-looking statement made by us herein speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law. 

Investor Relations Contact:

Rich Cockrell

CG Capital

404-736-3838

Media Contact:

Susan Roberts

202-779-0929

Georgia Life Sciences Joins National Opposition to “Most Favored Nation” Drug Pricing Proposal Ahead of Potential Executive Order

By Maria Thacker Goethe • May 8, 2025
Disclaimer: This statement was published on May 9, 2025, at 12:11 PM and is subject to change as the administration moves forward with policy decisions. -- In a rapidly developing situation, the White House is poised to take executive action on prescription drug pricing that could significantly impact the biopharmaceutical industry. Early next week, the president is expected to sign an executive order directing administration officials to pursue a "Most Favored Nation" initiative, which would tie U.S. government drug payments to lower prices paid abroad, according to sources familiar with the matter who were granted anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. This executive order would bypass the legislative discussions previously reported in Congress, where Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee had been considering similar measures as potential spending cuts. While the plan hasn't been finalized and could still change as officials work through specifics, the move signals the administration's intent to act quickly on drug pricing. If enacted, the MFN policy could be paired with other proposed changes, such as increasing the 23.1% Medicaid base rebate. Reports suggest that manufacturers might be required to pay either the MFN price or the higher rebate—whichever yields the lowest cost for the government. This policy would create severe financial pressure on drug developers, particularly small and mid-size companies that are essential to Georgia’s thriving life sciences ecosystem. Georgia is home to a growing network of biotech, pharmaceutical, and medical technology firms—many of which are advancing groundbreaking treatments for rare diseases, pediatric conditions, and underserved populations. These companies often operate with little commercial revenue and rely on a balanced, predictable pricing framework to continue investing in innovation. In 2023, pharmaceutical companies provided $54 billion in Medicaid rebates nationally, helping keep drug spending to just 5.9% of total Medicaid expenditures . The current system works by ensuring broad patient access to medicine while enabling companies to reinvest in research and development. Drastic changes such as MFN pricing would upend this balance and threaten job creation and investment in states like Georgia. Moreover, because Medicaid rebate amounts are tied to 340B discount calculations, the impact would extend far beyond Medicaid—further increasing costs in the already-burdened 340B program. In response, Georgia Life Sciences has joined a coalition of more than 40 state bioscience associations, signing onto a letter from the Council of State Bioscience Associations (CSBA) opposing any MFN or foreign reference pricing schemes. The letter highlights the harm such policies would inflict on rare disease patients, pediatric populations, and emerging biotechnology companies. “Rather than penalizing innovative companies that develop treatments for vulnerable patients, we should work together to ensure the U.S. maintains its strategic leadership in biopharmaceutical innovation and that American patients have access to the best treatments available.” — CSBA Letter, May 2025 Georgia Life Sciences is actively monitoring the situation and preparing to advocate on behalf of Georgia’s life sciences community.

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By Sheran Brown • May 1, 2025
Opinion: Georgia's Congressional delegation can lead the way on correcting 'pill penalty'  Maria Thacker Goethe President and CEO, Georgia Life Sciences: May 1, 2025 EPIC Act offers commonsense fix to 'pill penalty' problem

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