CORPORATE INFORMATION

Corporate History

The GeoVax Mission is to develop, manufacture, test and license vaccines for prevention of significant human diseases for which no vaccines presently exist. Our first target is an HIV/AIDS [Acquired Immunodeficiency Disease Syndrome].

GeoVax Inc. was established in Atlanta, Georgia in 2001 to develop highly promising vaccine technologies for preventing AIDS caused by HIV-1 [Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 or AIDS virus].

Our AIDS vaccine technologies and extensive patent filings evolved over 15 years through a collaboration headed by Dr Harriet Robinson of Emory University in Atlanta, with researchers at the US National Institutes of Health [NIH] and Centers for Disease Control & Prevention [CDC] and recently, the GeoVax team.

1992 - 2002: The current GeoVax AIDS Vaccine technology was selected based on a series of trials comparing the efficacy of different AIDS vaccines in preclinical models by Dr. Harriet Robinson:

  • 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 including Gag, Pol and Env, SUCCESSFULLY ELICITED PROTECTION IN VACCINATES
  • This DNA/MVA vaccine, which has been licensed and developed by GeoVax, successfully protected 22 of 23 primates over 3 1/2 years from the development of AIDS. In contrast, 5 of 6 unvaccinated controls died of AIDS within 8 months of SHIV challenge [monkey AIDS virus infection]

2002 - 2006: GeoVax Inc, guided by President, Don Hildebrand, and Dr. Robinson, set up laboratory facilities, hired a team of experienced scientists and business professionals and launched an AIDS vaccine development program

  • Establishment of laboratory Standard Operating Procedures [SOP's] -- FDA guidelines
  • Validation of a GLP [Good Laboratory Practice] testing laboratory -- FDA guidelines
  • Development of manufacturing and test procedures for DNA and MVA vaccines
  • Initiated vaccine production/testing process improvement program - ongoing
  • Conducted a Phase I human - 3 site trial through the HVTN [NIH] - Results: SATISFACTORY
  • Supervised technology transfer of DNA & MVA vaccine manufacture/testing procedures to GMP/GLP qualified contract vaccine manufacturers
  • Using contract [FDA approved] laboratories, satisfactorily produced and tested DNA and MVA vaccines for human clinical trials that started in 2006

2006 - 2007: In May and September 2006, critically important human clinical trials began combining DNA and MVA vaccines. These trials are being conducted by the HIV Vaccine Trial Network (HVTN) sponsored by the US National Institutes of Health. These trials will include over 100 volunteers with different groups receiving varying doses and combinations of GeoVax DNA and MVA vaccines and are being conducted at several USA locations. Data from these trials are already providing substantial information on safety and the stimulation of immune responses considered possibly protective against the AIDS. According to early 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 vacciniated trial participants.