GeoVax CEO David Dodd to Present at 2026 Georgia Life Sciences Summit as Company Advances MVA Vaccine and Oncology Pipeline
核心洞察
GeoVax Chairman and CEO David Dodd will participate in the 2026 Georgia Life Sciences Summit, joining a CEO Spotlight presentation on August 26 and a private policy roundtable on August 25.
GeoVax's priority program, GEO-MVA (搜索), is an MVA-based vaccine targeting mpox (搜索) and smallpox (搜索) advancing under an expedited regulatory pathway with plans for a pivotal Phase 3 trial in the second half of 2026.
The company's oncology candidate Gedeptin, a gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy designed to enhance immune checkpoint inhibitor activity, has completed a multicenter Phase 1/2 trial in advanced head and neck cancer (搜索).
GeoVax Labs, Inc. (搜索), a clinical-stage biotechnology company, announced that its Chairman and CEO David Dodd will participate in the 2026 Georgia Life Sciences Summit, where he will present in a CEO Spotlight program and join a private global health policy roundtable with U.S. Representative Rich McCormick (GA-07). Dodd, a former Chair of Georgia Life Sciences, has been selected as one of four biotechnology CEOs participating in "CEO Spotlights: Decisions That Define a Company," presented by BioSpark Labs, on August 26.
The CEO Spotlights feature 10-minute, TED-style presentations focused on pivotal decisions, challenges, and inflection points that have shaped the trajectory of each participating company. Dodd will draw upon GeoVax's evolution to discuss the leadership and strategic decisions involved in building and advancing a biotechnology company through changing scientific, financial, regulatory, and public-health environments.
"Building a biotechnology company is rarely a straight line," said Dodd. "It requires making consequential decisions with incomplete information, adapting to changing circumstances and remaining focused on the scientific and strategic opportunities that can ultimately create meaningful value. I look forward to sharing some of the decisions and lessons that have shaped GeoVax's journey with Georgia's life sciences community."
Dodd will be joined in the CEO Spotlight program by Samir Patel, President and CEO of Moonlight Therapeutics; Dr. Nikhil L. Shah, CEO and Co-Founder of Nephrodite; and Gareth Sheridan, Founder and CEO of Nutriband.
A Diversified Pipeline Built on the MVA Platform
GeoVax is advancing a diversified portfolio built around its Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vaccine platform and novel oncology technologies. Its programs include GEO-MVA (搜索), the company's vaccine candidate for mpox (搜索) and smallpox (搜索); MVA-based vaccine candidates targeting Ebola (搜索), Sudan Ebola, and Marburg viruses; and Gedeptin, a novel gene-directed therapy for solid tumors.
GeoVax's priority program is GEO-MVA (搜索), a Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA)-based vaccine targeting mpox (搜索) and smallpox (搜索). The program is advancing under an expedited regulatory pathway, with plans to initiate a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial in the second half of 2026, to address critical global needs for expanded orthopoxvirus vaccine supply and biodefense preparedness.
In oncology, GeoVax is developing Gedeptin, a gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT) designed to enhance immune checkpoint inhibitor activity. Gedeptin has completed a multicenter Phase 1/2 clinical trial in advanced head and neck cancer (搜索) and is being advanced into combination strategies, including planned neoadjuvant and first-line settings.
Engaging Policymakers on Global Health
On August 25, Dodd will participate in a private roundtable discussion with U.S. Representative Rich McCormick (GA-07), convened by Georgia Life Sciences, the Global Health Technologies Coalition, and The Kyle House Group. The roundtable will bring together leaders from Georgia's global health, biotechnology, nonprofit, and private sectors to discuss the state's leadership in advancing global health and development through innovation, research, and public-private partnerships.
For GeoVax, the discussion provides an opportunity to contribute perspectives informed by the company's work in infectious disease vaccines, medical countermeasures, and global health preparedness, as well as the challenges faced by emerging biotechnology companies working to translate scientific innovation into products addressing significant public-health needs.
"Georgia has developed an increasingly important life sciences and global health ecosystem that brings together scientific innovation, entrepreneurship, academic expertise, public policy and investment," Dodd said. "Having previously served as Chair of Georgia Life Sciences, I am especially pleased to participate in this year's Summit and to engage with Congressman McCormick and other leaders on how we can further strengthen Georgia's – and America's – capacity for biotechnology innovation, health security and global health leadership."
The Georgia Life Sciences Summit is the organization's flagship annual gathering, bringing together leaders from industry, academia, government, and the investment community to address major issues affecting scientific research, product development, financing, business development, and public policy while showcasing innovation across Georgia's life sciences sector. GeoVax maintains a global intellectual property portfolio supporting its infectious disease and oncology programs and continues to evaluate strategic partnerships and funding opportunities aligned with its development priorities.