GeoVax Labs has received favorable regulatory guidance from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) that could dramatically accelerate the development timeline for its GEO-MVA vaccine targeting Mpox and smallpox. The biotechnology company announced that the EMA's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has confirmed that Phase 1 and Phase 2 trials can be omitted for the Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA)-based vaccine, allowing direct progression to Phase 3 testing.
Streamlined Regulatory Pathway
The EMA's Scientific Advice supports GeoVax's clinical and nonclinical development strategy, confirming that a single, robustly designed Phase 3 immuno-bridging trial against the approved MVA vaccine Imvanex would be sufficient to support a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) via the centralized procedure. The CHMP also validated the adequacy of GeoVax's proposed non-clinical immuno-bridging and toxicity studies to support progression to Phase 3, assuming no unexpected findings occur.
"This positive guidance from EMA represents a major milestone in the global advancement of GEO-MVA and opens a strategic path toward regulatory approval in Europe," said David Dodd, Chairman and CEO of GeoVax. The company believes this guidance represents a potentially significant acceleration in the regulatory approval timeline by eliminating multiple development steps commonly required for vaccines.
Addressing Critical Global Health Needs
The regulatory development comes at a particularly critical time for global health preparedness. The World Health Organization recently issued its fourth declaration of Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), citing the ongoing spread of both Clade I and II Mpox viruses across 25 African countries and the continued risk of geographical expansion.
The emergence of the highly virulent Clade 1 across Africa, Europe, Asia and the U.S., along with wastewater detection in multiple U.S. states, highlights the urgent need to expand vaccine availability. Currently, the world is dependent on a single supplier for the MVA-based Mpox and smallpox vaccine, creating supply chain vulnerabilities that GEO-MVA could help address.
Manufacturing and Supply Strategy
GeoVax plans a dual-phase manufacturing approach for GEO-MVA. In the short-term, the company will expand vaccine availability using the current Chicken Embryo Fibroblast (CEF) production method. The company then plans to shift to its next-generation AGE1 manufacturing platform, which is anticipated to provide scalable, cost-effective production within the U.S. and enable self-sufficiency in regions such as Africa.
"GEO-MVA addresses both immediate and long-term needs," Dodd emphasized. "The global need for additional Mpox vaccine manufacturers is critical and we are committed to working with global regulators to ensure access, transparency, and manufacturing resilience."
Company Background
GeoVax Labs is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel vaccines against infectious diseases and therapies for solid tumor cancers. The company's lead clinical program is GEO-CM04S1, a next-generation COVID-19 vaccine currently in three Phase 2 clinical trials. In oncology, the company is evaluating Gedeptin, a novel oncolytic solid tumor gene-directed therapy that recently completed a multicenter Phase 1/2 clinical trial for advanced head and neck cancers.
