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Note 1 - Description of Business
9 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021
Dec. 31, 2020
Notes to Financial Statements    
Nature of Operations [Text Block]

1.         Description of Business

 

GeoVax Labs, Inc. (“GeoVax” or the “Company”), is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing immunotherapies and vaccines against infectious diseases and cancers using novel vector vaccine platforms. GeoVax’s Modified Vaccinia Ankara-Virus-Like Particle (MVA-VLP) based platform utilizes MVA, a large virus capable of carrying several vaccine antigens, to express proteins that assemble into highly effective virus-like particle (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.

 

GeoVax’s MVA-VLP development programs are focused primarily on preventive vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) and immunotherapies for solid tumor cancers. Other development programs include preventive vaccines against Zika Virus, hemorrhagic fever viruses (Ebola, Sudan, Marburg, Lassa), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and malaria. Certain of our vaccine development activities have been, and continue to be, financially supported by the U.S. Government. This support has been both in the form of research grants and contracts awarded directly to us, as well as indirect support for the conduct of preclinical animal studies and human clinical trials.

 

On September 28, 2021, GeoVax entered into an Assignment and License Agreement with PNP Therapeutics, Inc., whereby 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 potent antitumor compound. A Phase 1/2 clinical 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 FDA has granted Gedeptin Orphan Drug status for the treatment of HNSCC and the initial stage of the ongoing clinical trial is being funded by the FDA pursuant to its Orphan Products Clinical Trials Grants Program. GeoVax’s license to Gedeptin includes rights to expand its use to all human diseases and/or conditions including, but not limited to, cancers.

 

GeoVax is incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware and our principal offices are located in the metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia area.

1.         Description of Business

 

GeoVax Labs, Inc. (“GeoVax” or the “Company”), is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing immunotherapies and vaccines against infectious diseases and cancers using a novel vector vaccine platform (Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) Virus-Like Particle, or “GV-MVA-VLPTM”). In this platform, MVA, a large virus capable of carrying several vaccine antigens, expresses proteins that assemble into highly effective VLP immunogens in the person being vaccinated. The MVA-VLP virus replicates to high titers in approved avian cells for manufacturing but cannot productively replicate in mammalian cells. Therefore, 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.

 

Our current development programs are focused on preventive vaccines against novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Zika Virus, hemorrhagic fever viruses (Ebola, Sudan, Marburg, Lassa), and malaria, as well as immunotherapies for HIV and solid tumor cancers.

 

Our corporate strategy is to advance, protect and exploit our differentiated vaccine immunotherapy platform leading to the successful development of preventive and therapeutic vaccines against infectious diseases and various cancers. With our design and development capabilities, we are progressing and validating an array of cancer and infectious disease immunotherapy and vaccine product candidates. Our goal is to advance products through to human clinical testing, and to seek partnership or licensing arrangements for achieving regulatory approval and commercialization. We also leverage third party resources through collaborations and partnerships for preclinical and clinical testing with multiple government, academic and corporate entities.

 

Certain of our vaccine development activities have been, and continue to be, financially supported by the U.S. Government. This support has been both in the form of research grants and contracts awarded directly to us, as well as indirect support for the conduct of preclinical animal studies and human clinical trials.

 

We operate in a highly regulated and competitive environment. The manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceutical products require approval from, and are subject to, ongoing oversight by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States, by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in the European Union, and by comparable agencies in other countries. Obtaining approval for a new pharmaceutical product is never certain, may take many years and often involves expenditure of substantial resources. Our goal is to build a profitable company by generating income from products we develop and commercialize, either alone or with one or more potential strategic partners.

 

GeoVax is incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware and our principal offices are located in the metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia area.