GeoVax Labs, Inc. (Nasdaq: GOVX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company, issued a statement endorsing an urgent call to action from Dr. Rosamund Lewis and colleagues, published in PLOS Medicine, emphasizing that the mpox epidemic is not over and requires sustained global response. The article, titled “The mpox epidemic is not over: Reducing disproportionate burden in Africa and persistent global risk require a sustained response,” highlights ongoing transmission, morbidity, and mortality across Africa, driven by evolving viral clades, constrained vaccine supply, and inequities in access. Dr. Lewis reinforced these concerns, stressing the need for sustained political will, financing, and expanded vaccine availability.
David Dodd, Chairman and CEO of GeoVax, stated, “GeoVax strongly endorses Dr. Lewis’s message that the mpox epidemic is not over and that complacency would be a costly mistake. The data are clear: mpox continues to circulate, evolve, and disproportionately impact vulnerable populations. A durable response requires sustained investment, diversified vaccine supply, and readiness that extends beyond reactive surge manufacturing.”
GeoVax is advancing GEO-MVA, a Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA)-based vaccine for mpox and smallpox, to address structural vulnerabilities highlighted in the analysis, particularly the world’s dependence on a single manufacturer for licensed MVA vaccine. Key milestones include completion of clinical material, planned initiation of a Phase 3 immunobridging study in Q4 2026 aligned with European Medicines Agency scientific advice, and anticipated results in Q2 2027 to support regulatory submissions.
“With a clearly defined regulatory pathway ahead, GEO-MVA is transitioning from preparedness planning to execution,” Dodd added. “This program is designed not only to meet regulatory requirements, but to support long-term global readiness by expanding MVA vaccine capacity in a market that remains chronically supply-constrained.”
The PLOS Medicine authors emphasize that mpox will continue to pose a global risk due to zoonotic spillover, viral evolution, and transmission in under-resourced settings. GeoVax believes these realities reinforce the need for redundant, geographically diversified MVA manufacturing capacity. As the mpox response evolves from emergency to long-term control, vaccine supply resilience becomes a cornerstone of preparedness.
GeoVax Labs, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing vaccines and immunotherapies for infectious diseases and cancer. Its lead clinical program is GEO-CM04S1, a next-generation COVID-19 vaccine in Phase 2 trials. In oncology, it is evaluating Gedeptin® for head and neck cancers. GeoVax is also developing the mpox/smallpox vaccine GEO-MVA, with plans to progress directly to Phase 3. For more information, visit www.geovax.com.
