Peer-Reviewed Article Describes Clinical and Immunologic Rationale for Dual-Antigen MVA-Based Vaccine Designed to Address Limitations of First-Generation COVID-19 Vaccines in Highly Vulnerable Populations
ATLANTA - March 12, 2026 (NEWMEDIAWIRE) - GeoVax Labs, Inc. (Nasdaq: GOVX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing vaccines and immunotherapies for infectious diseases and solid tumors, today announced the publication of a peer-reviewed article describing its next-generation COVID-19 vaccine candidate, GEO-CM04S1, in Medical Research Archives, the journal of the European Society of Medicine.
The article, titled “GEO-CM04S1: A Dual-Antigen COVID-19 Vaccine for Immunocompromised Patients,” provides a comprehensive review of the vaccine’s scientific rationale, preclinical studies, and clinical findings supporting its development as a vaccine designed specifically to protect immunocompromised individuals who often respond poorly to currently authorized COVID-19 vaccines.
The publication highlights how GEO-CM04S1’s dual-antigen design (Spike + Nucleocapsid) delivered via a Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) viral vector is intended to generate antibody and T-cell responses that are both broad and durable, addressing limitations in such vulnerable populations of single-antigen vaccines that primarily target the spike protein.
The publication discusses how next-generation vaccines designed to stimulate more robust and durable cellular immunity may offer improved protection for these high-risk populations.
Scientific Highlights from the Publication
Key findings summarized in the publication include:
1. Dual-Antigen Design to Enhance Immune Breadth: GEO-CM04S1 expresses both the spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins of SARS-CoV-2, allowing the vaccine to stimulate immune responses against conserved viral targets that are less susceptible to mutation and immune escape.
2. Robust T-Cell Responses: Preclinical and clinical data show the vaccine induces strong CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses, which are critical for controlling viral infection and reducing progression to severe disease.
3. Favorable Safety and Immunogenicity: Early clinical studies demonstrated a benign safety profile and strong immunologic responses, including seroconversion and cellular immune activation across multiple dose levels.
4. Encouraging Results in Immunocompromised Patients: Early readouts from ongoing Phase 2 clinical trials in patients with hematologic malignancies receiving cell transplants, and individuals with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, indicate the vaccine can generate durable immune responses even in patients with impaired immune systems.
David Dodd, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GeoVax, stated: “This publication reinforces the scientific rationale for GEO-CM04S1 as a purpose-built vaccine for immunocompromised populations that remain inadequately protected by current COVID-19 vaccines. An estimated 40+ million patients in the U.S. are considered immunocompromised, including patients with cancer, transplant recipients, individuals receiving immunosuppressive therapies, and those with chronic diseases. These individuals may fail to mount adequate immune responses following vaccination and remain at higher risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes. Worldwide, an estimated 400 million patients have such weakened immune systems, rendering them at risk of severe infection, hospitalization and potential death.”
Mark J. Newman, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of GeoVax and co-author of the publication, added: “A growing body of evidence demonstrates that strong and early T-cell responses play a critical role in controlling SARS-CoV-2 infection and preventing severe disease. GEO-CM04S1 was designed specifically to stimulate these responses, which may be particularly important for immunocompromised individuals who often fail to generate adequate antibody responses to existing vaccines. The MVA vector platform provides an ideal backbone for next-generation vaccines due to its ability to safely induce durable humoral and cellular immunity. Our dual-antigen strategy also expands immune recognition beyond the spike protein, and data from small animal studies indicates efficacy against variants is induced, reducing the need to continually update vaccines.”
About GEO-CM04S1
GEO-CM04S1 is a dual-antigen Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA)-vectored COVID-19 vaccine designed to induce durable T-cell and antibody responses against SARS-CoV-2.
The vaccine is currently being evaluated in multiple Phase 2 clinical trials, including:
- Primary vaccination in immunocompromised individuals
- Booster vaccination in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
The vaccine’s multi-antigen design and viral vector platform are intended to provide broader, more durable immune protection and improved efficacy in populations where first-generation vaccines have demonstrated reduced effectiveness.
About GeoVax
GeoVax Labs, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development of vaccines and immunotherapies addressing high-consequence infectious diseases and solid tumor cancers. GeoVax’s priority program is GEO-MVA, a Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA)–based vaccine targeting mpox and smallpox. The program is advancing under an expedited regulatory pathway, with plans to initiate a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial in the second half of 2026, to address critical global needs for expanded orthopoxvirus vaccine supply and biodefense preparedness. In oncology, GeoVax is developing Gedeptin®, a gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT) designed to enhance immune checkpoint inhibitor activity. Gedeptin has completed a multicenter Phase 1/2 clinical trial in advanced head and neck cancer and is being advanced into combination strategies, including planned neoadjuvant and first-line settings. GeoVax’s broader pipeline includes the development of GEO-CM04S1, a next-generation COVID-19 vaccine candidate being evaluated in immunocompromised and other patient populations. GeoVax maintains a global intellectual property portfolio supporting its infectious disease and oncology programs and continues to evaluate strategic partnerships and funding opportunities aligned with its development priorities. For more information, visit www.geovax.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements regarding GeoVax’s business plans. The words “believe,” “look forward to,” “may,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “should,” “plan,” “could,” “target,” “potential,” “is likely,” “will,” “expect” and similar expressions, as they relate to us, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Actual results may differ materially from those included in these statements due to a variety of factors, including whether: GeoVax is able to obtain acceptable results from ongoing or future clinical trials of its investigational products, GeoVax’s immuno-oncology products and preventative vaccines can provoke the desired responses, and those products or vaccines can be used effectively, GeoVax’s viral vector technology adequately amplifies immune responses to cancer antigens, GeoVax can develop and manufacture its immuno-oncology products and preventative vaccines with the desired characteristics in a timely manner, GeoVax’s immuno-oncology products and preventative vaccines will be safe for human use, GeoVax’s vaccines will effectively prevent targeted infections in humans, GeoVax’s immuno-oncology products and preventative vaccines will receive regulatory approvals necessary to be licensed and marketed, GeoVax raises required capital to complete development, there is development of competitive products that may be more effective or easier to use than GeoVax’s products, GeoVax will be able to enter into favorable manufacturing and distribution agreements, and other factors, over which GeoVax has no control.
Further information on our risk factors is contained in our periodic reports on Form 10-Q and Form 10-K that we have filed and will file with the SEC. Any forward-looking statement made by us herein speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.
Company Contact:
info@geovax.com
678-384-7220
Media Contact:
Jessica Starman
media@geovax.com
