Benzinga | Mar 4, 2021 09:58AM EST

GeoVax Announces Filing Of Two Additional COVID-Related Patent Applications

Filings Made in Corporate Focus Areas of SARS-CoV-2 and Immuno-Oncology



Atlanta, GA, March 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -- GeoVax Labs, Inc. (NasdaqCM: GOVX) ("GeoVax" or the "Company"), a biotechnology company developing human immunotherapies and vaccines against infectious diseases and cancer, today announced the filing of two additional patent applications important to the Company's key focus on vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and cancer immunotherapies.

The Company has filed an International Patent Application under the Patent Cooperation Treaty to protect its proprietary COVID-19 vaccines based on its platform modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) viral vector technology. Unlike certain competitor vaccines that target only the COVID-19 spike protein, GeoVax's vaccines are designed to provoke a response to multiple COVID-19 antigens, which are differentiated from competitive vaccines in that they may be less susceptible to viral mutations in the spike protein region that have emerged as problematic in multiple regions of the world. The Company's vaccines are intended to be used as a primary vaccine or to boost COVID-19 vaccines from other companies as part of vaccination strategies to provide immunity to a range of SARS-CoV-2 variants.

GeoVax also filed a U.S. patent application as part of its immunotherapy program, which covers updates in its innovative MVA viral vector technology to amplify an immune response to a cancer antigen in a patient via vaccination. Cancer vaccination is the subject of growing interest as a means to boost the body's innate defense to cancer.

David Dodd, GeoVax's Chairman & CEO, commented, "These patent filings reflect our continued progress in advancing high-value development programs while seeking the strongest intellectual property portfolio possible. We continue to develop and strengthen our assets within the two strategic areas of COVID-19 and immuno-oncology, with a focus on accelerating each towards clinical development. With these filings, our wholly owned, co-owned, and in-licensed intellectual property portfolio now stands at over 70 granted or pending patent applications spread over 20 patent families. Over the past few months, we have successfully capitalized the Company, strengthened our balance sheet, expanded our IP portfolio and accelerated developments to upcoming important data milestones. We look forward to further advancing our programs and continued growth in GeoVax value."