GeoVax Labs, Inc. has issued a statement endorsing an urgent call to action from World Health Organization experts, who warn that the mpox epidemic is far from over and continues to disproportionately impact vulnerable populations globally. The company's endorsement aligns with a recently published PLOS Medicine article by Rosamund Lewis, MD, and colleagues, which emphasizes that mpox transmission, morbidity, and mortality persist despite declining attention in some regions.
The analysis highlights that evolving viral clades, constrained vaccine supply, and persistent inequities in access to countermeasures continue to drive the epidemic, particularly across Africa. David Dodd, Chairman and CEO of GeoVax, stated that the company strongly endorses Dr. Lewis's message that complacency would be a costly mistake, noting that a durable response requires sustained investment, diversified vaccine supply, and readiness beyond reactive surge manufacturing.
GeoVax's GEO-MVA program, a Modified Vaccinia Ankara-based vaccine for preventing mpox and smallpox, is being developed specifically to address the structural vulnerabilities highlighted in the analysis, most notably the world's continued dependence on a single manufacturer for licensed MVA vaccine supply. The company has completed GEO-MVA clinical material, positioning the program for late-stage clinical execution and supply readiness.
Key milestones include a planned pivotal Phase 3 immunobridging study initiation in Q4 2026, aligned with formal Scientific Advice from the European Medicines Agency supporting an expedited registration pathway. Immunobridging results are anticipated in Q2 2027, supporting potential regulatory submissions and procurement discussions. Dodd emphasized that with a clearly defined regulatory pathway ahead, GEO-MVA is transitioning from preparedness planning to execution, designed to support long-term global readiness by expanding MVA vaccine capacity in a chronically supply-constrained market.
The PLOS Medicine authors emphasize that mpox will continue to pose global risk due to ongoing zoonotic spillover, viral evolution, and efficient transmission networks, particularly in under-resourced health systems. GeoVax believes these realities reinforce the need for redundant, geographically diversified MVA manufacturing capacity, a principle underpinning the GEO-MVA program. As the mpox response evolves from emergency reaction to long-term control, vaccine supply resilience becomes a cornerstone of preparedness, with GeoVax committed to advancing GEO-MVA as an additional MVA vaccine option for public-health and biodefense stakeholders worldwide.
