GeoVax Labs, Inc. (Nasdaq: GOVX) has voiced support for the newly established global mpox vaccine stockpile, a Gavi-funded initiative coordinated by the International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision. The stockpile, launched on August 27 and announced by the World Health Organization (WHO) on September 2, aims to provide countries with timely and equitable access to mpox vaccines during future outbreaks. It is scheduled to begin operations later this month, establishing a long-term infrastructure for outbreak response.
David A. Dodd, Chairman and CEO of GeoVax, emphasized the importance of this move in shifting from reactive measures to sustained preparedness. "Equitable access requires more than having vaccines available after an outbreak begins. It requires durable procurement infrastructure, sufficient vaccine supply, and the ability to rapidly deliver vaccine protection where it is needed," he said. The stockpile builds on the Access and Allocation Mechanism from the 2024 mpox emergency and addresses barriers to vaccine access experienced during recent outbreaks.
GeoVax is advancing its own mpox vaccine candidate, GEO-MVA, a Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA)-based vaccine. The company has reached key manufacturing, regulatory, and clinical milestones, including the production of GMP clinical product and alignment with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on an immune-bridging pathway. GeoVax plans to initiate a pivotal Phase 3 study in the fourth quarter of 2026, with about 500 participants.
Dodd highlighted the need for a diversified vaccine supply: "As the new global stockpile infrastructure develops, we believe additional qualified MVA vaccine sources can help expand supply availability, manufacturing capacity, and preparedness for future outbreaks." GeoVax is engaging with government agencies and international organizations to explore procurement requirements and the potential role of GEO-MVA.
The company is also pursuing next-generation technologies, including MVA-X for single-dose protection, continuous-cell-line manufacturing for scalability, and microarray-based delivery systems to simplify administration. These efforts aim to address barriers to global vaccine access.
The new stockpile is a collaborative effort involving WHO, UNICEF, Médecins Sans Frontières, and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. It establishes a durable framework for coordinating emergency vaccine supplies, similar to mechanisms used for other epidemic-prone diseases. WHO has identified securing a robust product mix and supporting market-shaping efforts as strategic objectives, underscoring the need for reliable and diversified supply.
GeoVax's GEO-MVA program readiness includes manufacturing, regulatory, and clinical preparations. The company believes its candidate could become a strategic asset for biosecurity and orthopoxvirus preparedness, providing governments and international health organizations with an additional source of MVA vaccine.
Dodd concluded, "As GEO-MVA progresses toward pivotal Phase 3 evaluation, we look forward to working with Gavi, WHO, the ICG, and other international health organizations toward the shared objective of expanding sustainable and equitable access to mpox vaccines worldwide."
