Following John Crowley’s Testimony, GeoVax Highlights Urgent Need for Vaccine Platform Diversity, Onshoring Manufacturing, and Protecting Immunocompromised Populations
ATLANTA, GA - October 30, 2025 (NEWMEDIAWIRE) - GeoVax Labs, Inc. (Nasdaq: GOVX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing multi-antigen vaccines and immunotherapies for infectious diseases and cancer, today responded to testimony delivered at a Senate HELP Committee hearing by John Crowley, CEO of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), who cautioned that U.S. biotech leadership could be overtaken by China within two years.
GeoVax emphasized that Crowley’s warning should serve as a clear call to action for Congress and the Administration to secure America’s competitiveness and biosecurity through immediate investment and policy changes.
GeoVax outlined six priority actions for policymakers:
- Diversify vaccine platforms beyond reliance on mRNA, funding MVA and other multi-antigen, next-generation technologies.
- Onshore advanced manufacturing with continuous cell-line vaccine production and U.S.-based fill/finish capacity.
- Protect NIH funding that fuels the biotech innovation pipeline.
- Modernize FDA pathways with expanded use of immuno-bridging and expedited programs for high-risk populations.
- Expand incentives such as priority review vouchers for biodefense products.
- Pair China guardrails with U.S. investment, ensuring scale-up and resilience at home.
David A. Dodd, Chairman & CEO of GeoVax, stated: “John Crowley sounded the alarm: America could lose its biotech leadership within two years. Competitiveness is national security. Congress and the Administration must move quickly to diversify vaccine platforms, bring manufacturing home, and prioritize high-risk populations. GeoVax stands ready to deliver on these priorities today.”
GeoVax spotlighted two near-term solutions:
- GEO-MVA, an Mpox/smallpox vaccine targeted to be manufactured on a continuous cell line, positioning the U.S. with a critical supply source to replenish the Strategic National Stockpile and to address the critical global demand shortfall existing today.
- GEO-CM04S1, a multi-antigen COVID-19 vaccine designed for immunocompromised individuals who remain vulnerable despite current vaccines.
Dodd added in closing: “These are not distant concepts - we have programs ready now. Our GEO-MVA Mpox/smallpox vaccine can immediately strengthen national security by adding a U.S. supplier for the stockpile, and our CM04S1 vaccine is uniquely designed to protect the 40+ million immunocompromised Americans who remain at risk. By acting today, policymakers can turn warnings into wins for public health and U.S. leadership.”
About GeoVax
GeoVax Labs, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel vaccines against infectious diseases and therapies for solid tumor cancers. The Company’s lead clinical program is GEO-CM04S1, a next-generation COVID-19 vaccine currently in three Phase 2 clinical trials, being evaluated as (1) a primary vaccine for immunocompromised patients such as those suffering from hematologic cancers and other patient populations for whom the current authorized COVID-19 vaccines are insufficient, (2) a booster vaccine in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and (3) a more robust, durable COVID-19 booster among healthy patients who previously received the mRNA vaccines. In oncology the lead clinical program is evaluating a novel oncolytic solid tumor gene-directed therapy, Gedeptin®, having recently completed a multicenter Phase 1/2 clinical trial for advanced head and neck cancers. GeoVax is also developing a vaccine targeting Mpox and smallpox and, based on recent EMA regulatory guidance, anticipates progressing directly to a Phase 3 clinical evaluation, omitting Phase 1 and Phase 2 trials. GeoVax has a strong IP portfolio in support of its technologies and product candidates, holding worldwide rights for its technologies and products. For more information about the current status of our clinical trials and other updates, visit our website: 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
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