GeoVax Expands Immuno-Oncology Portfolio with Exclusive License for Gedeptin Combination Technology

GeoVax Labs, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company, has entered into an exclusive worldwide license agreement with Emory University for intellectual property covering the use of Gedeptin in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors. The licensed technology, developed in collaboration with investigators at Emory University and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, supports the use of gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy to enhance the anti-tumor activity of checkpoint blockade. This agreement significantly strengthens GeoVax's intellectual property foundation for combination therapies across solid tumors and supports the company's immuno-oncology strategy as checkpoint inhibitors continue to move earlier in treatment paradigms.

The exclusive license provides GeoVax with global rights to patent applications and associated know-how covering the combination of Gedeptin with immune checkpoint inhibitors within a defined field of use. This intellectual property estate is intended to support GeoVax's current and planned clinical programs evaluating Gedeptin in combination with ICIs, including its recently announced neoadjuvant strategy in head and neck cancer and ongoing evaluation of additional solid tumor indications. According to David A. Dodd, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GeoVax, this license further consolidates the company's long-standing relationship with Emory and meaningfully strengthens the intellectual property position around Gedeptin-based combination therapies.

GeoVax has previously reported encouraging clinical and translational data demonstrating that Gedeptin's intratumoral delivery approach can induce localized tumor cell death while promoting immune activation within the tumor microenvironment. This effect may be complementary to systemic checkpoint inhibition, addressing a significant limitation in current cancer immunotherapy approaches. Dodd noted that checkpoint inhibitors have transformed cancer care, but many patients still fail to achieve durable responses. The licensed Emory technology reinforces the scientific rationale for combining Gedeptin with ICIs to potentially convert immunologically 'cold' tumors into more responsive targets, supporting the company's efforts to move decisively into combination-based clinical development.

The company has previously announced plans to evaluate Gedeptin in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors in a Phase 2 neoadjuvant clinical trial in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, as well as preclinical assessments in additional solid tumor settings. The Emory license provides a strengthened intellectual property foundation to support these efforts and potential future partnerships. As Dodd explained, as checkpoint inhibitors continue to move earlier in treatment paradigms, including first-line and neoadjuvant settings, Gedeptin's localized tumor-debulking and immune-sensitizing mechanism may provide an important opportunity to enhance and extend immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy. The company continues to evaluate strategic collaboration opportunities related to both the clinical development and potential commercialization of Gedeptin-based combination therapies, building on an established development path that includes Gedeptin's Orphan Drug Designation for oral and pharyngeal cancers.