GeoVax Labs, Inc. has endorsed an urgent call to action from World Health Organization experts warning that the mpox epidemic remains a persistent global health threat despite declining attention in some regions. The company’s statement aligns with concerns raised in a recent PLOS Medicine article (https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1004893&type=printable) that emphasizes ongoing transmission, morbidity, and mortality, particularly across Africa, driven by evolving viral clades, constrained vaccine supply, and persistent inequities in access to countermeasures.
‘GeoVax strongly endorses Dr. Lewis’s message that the mpox epidemic is not over and that complacency would be a costly mistake,’ said David Dodd, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GeoVax. ‘The data are clear: mpox continues to circulate, evolve, and disproportionately impact vulnerable populations. A durable response requires sustained investment, diversified vaccine supply, and readiness that extends beyond reactive surge manufacturing.’
The company highlighted its GEO-MVA program, a Modified Vaccinia Ankara-based vaccine for the prevention of mpox and smallpox, as a potential solution to address structural vulnerabilities in global vaccine supply. According to GeoVax, the world currently depends on a single manufacturer for licensed MVA vaccine supply, creating significant risk for global health security.
Key milestones for the GEO-MVA program include completion of clinical material production, positioning the program for late-stage clinical execution and supply readiness. The company plans to initiate a pivotal Phase 3 immunobridging study in the fourth quarter of 2026, following formal Scientific Advice from the European Medicines Agency supporting an expedited registration pathway. Immunobridging results are anticipated in the second quarter of 2027, which could support potential regulatory submissions and procurement discussions.
‘With a clearly defined regulatory pathway ahead, GEO-MVA is transitioning from preparedness planning to execution,’ Dodd added. ‘This program is designed not only to meet regulatory requirements, but to support long-term global readiness by expanding MVA vaccine capacity in a market that remains chronically supply-constrained.’
The PLOS Medicine authors emphasize that mpox will continue to pose global risks due to ongoing zoonotic spillover, viral evolution, and efficient transmission networks, particularly in under-resourced health systems. GeoVax believes these realities reinforce the need for redundant, geographically diversified MVA manufacturing capacity, a principle that underpins the GEO-MVA program.
‘As the mpox response evolves from emergency reaction to long-term control, vaccine supply resilience becomes a cornerstone of preparedness,’ said Dodd. ‘GeoVax is committed to supporting that objective by advancing GEO-MVA as an additional MVA vaccine option for public-health and biodefense stakeholders worldwide.’ The company’s endorsement of sustained global response efforts comes as evidence confirms that disproportionate burden in Africa and persistent global risk require ongoing attention and resource allocation.
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