GEO-ZM02 Zika Vaccine Candidate
The GeoVax Labs GEO-CM02 Zika virus vaccine candidate is based on a novel GV-MVA-VLP platform that integrates recombinant Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vector technology with advanced antigen design and state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies. GEO-ZM02 is designed to function through the induction of T-cell responses rather than antibodies to eliminate the risk of Antibody-Dependent Enhancement (ADE), a serious side effect observed in flavivirus infections when an individual does not have a fully protective immune response from vaccination or a previous infection which causes a more serious disease if infected.
This Zika vaccine candidate is based on the NS1 protein of Zika, which is not associated with ADE of infection. Moreover, an NS1-based vaccine has the potential advantage of blocking the transmission of Zika from humans to its mosquito vectors.
The GeoVax MVA platform is a large virus capable of carrying several vaccine antigens express proteins that assemble into VLP immunogens within (in vivo) the vaccine recipient. Vaccines produced on this platform are safe, highly immunogenic, suitable for repeated use, stable at refrigerator temperatures, lyophilized, and amenable to rapid and affordable scale-up for epidemic response and routine vaccination.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued a Notice of Allowance for Patent Application No. 17/000,768 titled, "Method for Generating a ZIKV Immune Response Utilizing a Recombinant Modified Vaccinia Ankara Vector Encoding the NS1 Protein." The claims to be granted in the patent cover GeoVax's MVA vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a ZIKV nonstructural (NS1) protein, of which GEO-ZM02 is designed.
GeoVax Labs, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company located in Atlanta, GA, developing human vaccines and immunotherapies against infectious diseases and cancer using novel proprietary platforms. The company's lead program in oncology is a novel oncolytic solid tumor gene-directed therapy, Gedeptin®, presently in a multicenter Phase 1/2 clinical trial for advanced head and neck cancers. GeoVax's lead infectious disease candidate is GEO-CM04S1, a next-generation COVID-19 vaccine targeting high-risk immunocompromised patient populations.
GEO-ZM02 Indication
A pathogen endemic in parts of the world, Zika virus (ZIKV), is linked to an increase in microcephaly in infants and neurodegenerative disease, Guillain-Barre syndrome, in adults. Zika is a member of the Flaviviridae family, which includes other significant pathogens affecting patients worldwide, such as dengue fever, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, tick-borne encephalitis, and West Nile viruses.
GEO-ZM02 News 2023
January 25, 2023 - "Our novel Zika vaccine candidate, GEO-ZM02, is constructed using our modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vector platform. Preclinical studies demonstrated a single dose of GEO-ZM02 provided 100% protection against a lethal dose of Zika virus," stated GeoVax CEO David Dodd in a press release. "Addressing many of the world's most threatening infectious diseases is part of our vision and corporate priorities for MVA's applications, including an MVA-based next-generation COVID-19 vaccine currently in Phase 2 clinical trials."
April 12, 2022 – GeoVax Labs, Inc. announced that on April 21, 2022, its Chief Scientific Officer, Mark J. Newman, Ph.D., will participate in an expert panel discussion on the topic of Pan-Corona and Universal Vaccines during the World Vaccine Congress in Washington, DC.
March 18, 2020 - GeoVax's Chief Scientific Officer, Farshad Guirakhoo, Ph.D., stated, "We are pleased with our three vaccine candidates' rapid progress with design, construction, and in vitro characterizations. From here, we will narrow it down to one vaccine candidate based on the safety, immunogenicity and protective efficacy of our PreMaster Seed Viruses observed in upcoming animal studies. The final candidate will proceed directly to manufacturing and initial human clinical testing for safety and immunogenicity."
GEO-ZM02 Clinical Trial
Completed preclinical evaluation.
