GeoVax Labs, Inc. (Nasdaq: GOVX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company, today issued a statement endorsing an urgent call to action published in PLOS Medicine by Rosamund Lewis, MD (WHO Head, Poxviruses Programme) and colleagues. The article, titled “The mpox epidemic is not over: Reducing disproportionate burden in Africa and persistent global risk require a sustained response,” warns that mpox transmission, morbidity, and mortality continue, particularly across Africa, driven by evolving viral clades, constrained vaccine supply, and persistent inequities in access to countermeasures.
“GeoVax strongly endorses Dr. Lewis’s message that the mpox epidemic is not over and that complacency would be a costly mistake,” said David Dodd, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GeoVax. “The data are clear: mpox continues to circulate, evolve, and disproportionately impact vulnerable populations. A durable response requires sustained investment, diversified vaccine supply, and readiness that extends beyond reactive surge manufacturing.”
GeoVax’s GEO-MVA, a Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA)-based vaccine for mpox and smallpox, is being developed to address structural vulnerabilities highlighted in the analysis, notably the world’s dependence on a single manufacturer for licensed MVA vaccine supply. Key program milestones include completion of GEO-MVA clinical material, a planned Phase 3 immunobridging study in Q4 2026 aligned with European Medicines Agency scientific advice, and anticipated immunobridging results in Q2 2027 supporting regulatory submissions.
“With a clearly defined regulatory pathway ahead, GEO-MVA is transitioning from preparedness planning to execution,” Dodd added. “This program is designed not only to meet regulatory requirements, but to support long-term global readiness by expanding MVA vaccine capacity in a market that remains chronically supply-constrained.”
The PLOS Medicine authors emphasize that mpox will continue to pose a global risk due to zoonotic spillover, viral evolution, and efficient transmission networks. GeoVax believes these realities reinforce the need for redundant, geographically diversified MVA manufacturing capacity. “As the mpox response evolves from emergency reaction to long-term control, vaccine supply resilience becomes a cornerstone of preparedness,” said Dodd. “GeoVax is committed to supporting that objective by advancing GEO-MVA as an additional MVA vaccine option for public-health and biodefense stakeholders worldwide.”
The full PLOS Medicine article can be accessed here. More information about GeoVax is available at www.geovax.com.
