CORPORATE INFORMATION

Corporate History

GeoVax’s mission is to develop, manufacture, test and license vaccines to combat significant human diseases for which no vaccines presently exist. Our first target is HIV/AIDS for which our vaccine technology has demonstrated promising preventative as well as therapeutic potential.

In 2001, GeoVax Inc. was established in Atlanta, Georgia to develop highly promising vaccine technologies for preventing AIDS caused by HIV-1 (Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 or AIDS virus). Our HIV/AIDS vaccine technologies and extensive patent filings evolved over 15 years through a collaboration headed by Dr. Harriet Robinson at Emory University in Atlanta with researchers at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC).

1992 - 2002: The current GeoVax HIV/AIDS vaccine technology was selected based on a series of trials comparing the efficacy of different vaccines in preclinical models.

  • DNA vaccines administered alone to express HIV-1 protein - Not Effective
  • DNA vaccines followed by Fowlpox virus to express HIV-1 protein - Some Promise
  • Fowlpox virus to express HIV-1 protein - Not Effective
  • DNA vaccines to express HIV-1 proteins followed by HIV-1 protein - Not Effective
  • DNA vaccine followed by MVA virus, both expressing multiple HIV-1 proteins - Successfully Elicited Protection in Vaccinates

2002 - 2006: GeoVax set up laboratory facilities, hired a team of experienced scientists and business professionals, and launched an HIV/AIDS vaccine development program.

  • Established laboratory Standard Operating Procedures (SOP's) - FDA guidelines
  • Validated a GLP (Good Laboratory Practice) testing laboratory - FDA guidelines
  • Developed manufacturing and test procedures for DNA and MVA vaccines
  • Initiated vaccine production/testing process improvement program - Ongoing
  • Supervised technology transfer of DNA and MVA vaccine manufacture/testing procedures to GMP/GLP qualified contract vaccine manufacturers
  • Satisfactorily produced and tested DNA and MVA vaccines for human clinical trials that started in 2006 at contract, FDA approved laboratories
  • Conducted a successful phase 1 human clinical trial at three sites through the HVTN (HIV Vaccine Trials Network)

2006 - 2008: In 2006, critically important human clinical trials (HVTN065) began combining GeoVax's DNA and MVA vaccines. These Phase 1 trials were conducted by the HIV Vaccine Trial Network (HVTN) sponsored by the US National Institutes of Health. Involving over 100 volunteers, the trials tested varying doses and combinations of GeoVax DNA and MVA vaccines at several locations inside the U.S. Data from these trials provides substantial information on safety and the stimulation of immune responses considered possibly protective against HIV. According to results from testing laboratories at both Emory University and the HVTN, significant anti-HIV immune responses (T cells) have been reported in the majority of vaccinated trial participants.

2009: GeoVax, in collaboration with HVTN, began a Phase 2a trial of its preventative HIV/AIDS vaccine and plans to initiate a Phase 1 trial of its therapeutic vaccine during the second half of the year.