Single-dose of GEO-EM01 Provided 100% Protection in Lethal Challenge Evaluation

Atlanta, GA, Oct. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -- GeoVax Labs, Inc. (NASDAQ:GOVX), a biotechnology company developing human immunotherapies and vaccines against infectious diseases and cancer, today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued a Notice of Allowance for Patent Application No. 15/543,139 entitled "Replication-Deficient Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) Expressing Ebola Virus Glycoprotein (GP) and Matrix Protein (VP40)."

GeoVax has 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 Ebola virus (EBOV). This is the first report that a replication-deficient MVA vector can confer full protection against a lethal EBOV challenge after a single-dose vaccination in macaques. GEO-EM01 is based on the Company's novel Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) Virus-Like Particle (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.

In addition to its vaccine for EBOV, GeoVax is also developing preventive vaccines for other hemorrhagic fever viruses highly lethal to humans. 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 animals challenged with a lethal dose of SUDV. This is the first report that a replication-deficient MVA vector may confer full protection against SUDV after a single dose. This work was conducted in collaboration with researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). Separately, GeoVax is leading a multi-party collaboration for the development of its SUDV and Marburg virus (MARV) vaccine candidates. The collaboration, between GeoVax, researchers at UTMB and Battelle Memorial Institute, utilizes the suite of preclinical services from NIAID. Under the collaboration, GeoVax's SUDV and MARV vaccine candidates are being tested for immunogenicity and efficacy in the benchmark nonhuman primate model. Additionally, GeoVax's vaccine against Lassa Fever virus (LASV) is progressing in preclinical studies with funding support from the U.S. Department of Defense.

David Dodd, GeoVax President and CEO, commented, "While our corporate focus and development priorities continue to be our COVID-19 vaccine and cancer immunotherapy programs, developing vaccines against lethal hemorrhagic fever viruses is also of interest and under consideration as part of our longer-term focus. This patent allowance adds to our growing portfolio of wholly owned, co-owned, and in-licensed intellectual property, which now stands at over 70 granted or pending patent applications spread over 20 patent families."

About GeoVax

GeoVax Labs, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing human vaccines against infectious diseases and cancer using novel patented platforms. Our Modified Vaccinia Ankara-Virus Like Particle (MVA-VLP) based vaccine platform utilizes MVA, a large virus capable of carrying several vaccine antigens, that expresses proteins that assemble into VLP immunogens in the person receiving the vaccine. The production of VLPs in the person being vaccinated can mimic virus production in a natural infection, stimulating both the humoral and cellular arms of the immune system to recognize, prevent, and control the target infection. The MVA-VLP derived vaccines can elicit durable immune responses in the host similar to a live-attenuated virus, while providing the safety characteristics of a replication-defective vector.

In September 2021, GeoVax expanded its immuno-oncology pipeline and added a new technology platform through the acquisition of exclusive rights to Gedeptin®, a novel patented product for the treatment of solid tumors through a gene therapy strategy known as GDEPT (Gene-Directed Enzyme Prodrug Therapy). In GDEPT, a vector is used to selectively transduce tumor cells with a nonhuman gene, which expresses an enzyme that can convert a nontoxic prodrug into a very toxic antitumor compound. A Phase 1/2 trial is currently enrolling to evaluate the safety and efficacy of repeat cycles of Gedeptin therapy in patients with recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), with tumors accessible for injection and no curable treatment options. The initial stage of the study is being funded by the FDA pursuant to its Orphan Products Clinical Trials Grants Program. A cycle of Gedeptin therapy consists of three intra-tumoral injections over a two-day period followed by infusion of a prodrug, fludarabine phosphate, once a day for three days. The FDA has granted Gedeptin Orphan Drug status for the treatment HNSCC. GeoVax's license to Gedeptin include rights to expand its use to all human diseases and/or conditions including, but not limited to, other cancers.

GeoVax's MVA-VLP development programs are focused on preventive vaccines against COVID-19, HIV, Zika Virus, and hemorrhagic fever viruses (Ebola, Sudan, Marburg, and Lassa), as well as therapeutic vaccines against multiple cancers. The Company has designed a preventive HIV vaccine candidate to fight against the subtype of HIV prevalent in the commercial markets of the Americas, Western Europe, Japan, and Australia; human clinical trials for this program are managed by the HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) with the support of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). GeoVax's HIV vaccine is also part of a collaborative effort toward a functional cure for HIV.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release and the related conference call contain forward-looking statements regarding GeoVax's business plans and financial results. The words "believe," "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 realize potential benefits from the patent protection it has received, GeoVax's vaccines can provoke the desired immune responses, and those vaccines can be used effectively as a primary or booster to other vaccines, GeoVax's viral vector technology adequately amplifies immune responses to cancer antigens, GeoVax can develop and manufacture its vaccines with the desired characteristics in a timely manner, GeoVax's vaccines will be safe for human use, GeoVax's vaccines will effectively prevent targeted infections in humans, GeoVax's vaccines will receive regulatory approvals necessary to be licensed and marketed, GeoVax raises required capital to complete vaccine 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 registration statement on Form S-1 and the 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.

GeoVax Labs, Inc.

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