GeoVax’s Vaccine Development Programs Align with Anticipated HHS Focus on Vaccine Safety, Diversification and Domestic Biosecurity
ATLANTA, GA - February 18, 2025 (NEWMEDIAWIRE) - GeoVax Labs, Inc. (Nasdaq: GOVX), a leader in vaccine and immunotherapy development, congratulates Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. on his confirmation as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). RFK Jr.’s appointment provides a significant opportunity for healthcare innovation, transparency, and public trust, reinforcing national priorities such as vaccine safety, diversified vaccine platforms, and strengthened domestic manufacturing. GeoVax stands ready to support these initiatives by delivering next-generation vaccines and advanced vaccine manufacturing technology that enhance biosecurity, public health resilience, and vaccine confidence.
GeoVax’s Commitment to a Robust, Transparent and Secure Vaccine Future
GeoVax’s mission aligns closely with the new administration’s policy priorities, particularly in reducing reliance on foreign pharmaceutical supply chains, increasing vaccine safety and durability, and ensuring access for underserved populations. The Company’s proprietary Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) platform offers a promising alternative to other vaccine technologies such as mRNA, providing broad-spectrum, durable immunity across multiple infectious diseases via a recognized safe vaccine platform.
Key initiatives supporting the goals for vaccine safety and transparency include:
- Diversified Vaccine Development – GeoVax’s GEO-CM04S1, a next-generation COVID-19 vaccine, and GEO-MVA, a dual-purpose Mpox and smallpox vaccine, align with the advocacy for alternative vaccine platforms beyond mRNA. These vaccines are designed to offer long-term immunity with a well-documented safety profile.
- Transparency as a Pillar of Public Trust – As David Dodd, Chairman and CEO of GeoVax, has emphasized, restoring trust in vaccines requires clear communication, open regulatory processes, and full transparency regarding safety, efficacy, and potential risks. GeoVax supports the call for greater industry accountability and public engagement, ensuring that vaccine development aligns with the highest standards of ethical science.
- Strengthening U.S. Biosecurity – GeoVax’s anticipated domestic vaccine manufacturing capabilities reinforce the bipartisan legislative commitment to reducing dependence on foreign pharmaceutical supply chains, thereby enhancing national pandemic preparedness.
- Ethical Vaccine Development & Public Confidence – GeoVax embraces open regulatory processes, rigorous safety standards, and public access to data, ensuring confidence in its vaccines. These principles align with the call for increased scrutiny and transparency in vaccine development and approval.
- Equitable Access & Global Preparedness – With cost-effective, scalable technology that does not require ultra-cold storage, GeoVax’s vaccines are well-suited for domestic and global distribution, ensuring broad access to critical immunizations, particularly for immunocompromised and underserved communities.
David Dodd: “Transparency is the Key to Restoring Vaccine Trust”
Reflecting on the challenges of vaccine hesitancy, David Dodd has been a vocal advocate for transparency in vaccine development and regulatory processes. In a recent op-ed, he emphasized: "Trust in vaccines has become a critical battleground for public health. Addressing public concerns openly and honestly is the only way to bridge the growing divide between science and skepticism. Transparency is a necessity, not an option. GeoVax remains committed to clear communication, scientific integrity, and ensuring that public confidence in vaccines is based on facts, not fear.” (https://www.genengnews.com/topics/translational-medicine/a-call-to-action-building-vaccine-trust-through-transparency/)
This perspective directly supports the stated goals of strengthening public trust, reducing regulatory opacity, and ensuring vaccine safety through independent oversight. GeoVax’s proactive approach to transparent vaccine development is a model for responsible biotech leadership.
A New Era for U.S. Healthcare and Pandemic Preparedness
RFK Jr.’s confirmation as HHS Secretary provides a renewed opportunity in support of vaccine diversification, transparency, and strategic biomanufacturing initiatives. GeoVax’s innovative vaccine pipeline supports these goals, positioning the Company as a vital partner in safeguarding national and global public health.
GeoVax’s vaccine development strategy builds upon successful national initiatives, such as Operation Warp Speed and Project NextGen, by prioritizing pandemic preparedness and biosecurity resilience. Through continued engagement with federal agencies and global health organizations, the Company seeks to accelerate vaccine development, expand domestic manufacturing, and enhance pandemic response efforts.
David Dodd, Chairman and CEO of GeoVax, stated: "Secretary Kennedy’s confirmation presents an opportunity to redefine public health with greater emphasis on safety, accessibility, and innovation. GeoVax proudly supports the commitment to reducing dependence on foreign pharmaceutical supply chains, diversifying vaccine technology, and restoring trust in public health solutions. We stand ready to collaborate with HHS and other healthcare stakeholders to advance a safer, more resilient healthcare future."
About GeoVax
GeoVax Labs, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel vaccines for many of the world’s most threatening infectious diseases and therapies for solid tumor cancers. The company’s lead clinical program is GEO-CM04S1, a next-generation COVID-19 vaccine for which GeoVax was recently awarded a BARDA-funded contract to sponsor a 10,000-participant Phase 2b clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of GEO-CM04S1 versus an approved COVID-19 vaccine. In addition, GEO-CM04S1 is currently in three Phase 2 clinical trials, being evaluated as (1) 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, (2) a booster vaccine in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and (3) a more robust, durable COVID-19 booster among healthy patients who previously received the mRNA vaccines. In oncology the lead clinical program is evaluating a novel oncolytic solid tumor gene-directed therapy, Gedeptin®, having recently completed a multicenter Phase 1/2 clinical trial for advanced head and neck cancers. A Phase 2 clinical trial in first recurrent head and neck cancer, evaluating Gedeptin® combined with an immune checkpoint inhibitor is planned. GeoVax has a strong IP portfolio in support of its technologies and product candidates, holding worldwide rights for its technologies and products. The Company has a leadership team who have driven significant value creation across multiple life science companies over the past several decades. For more information about the current status of our clinical trials and other updates, 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.
Company Contact:
info@geovax.com
678-384-7220
Investor Relations Contact:
austin.murtagh@precisionaq.com
212-698-8696
Media Contact:
sr@roberts-communications.com
202-779-0929
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