GeoVax Labs, Inc. (Nasdaq: GOVX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing immunotherapies and vaccines, announced an exclusive worldwide license agreement with Emory University for intellectual property covering the use of Gedeptin in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The licensed technology, developed with Emory University and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, supports gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT) to enhance checkpoint blockade activity. Financial terms were not disclosed.
“This license further consolidates GeoVax’s long-standing relationship with Emory and meaningfully strengthens our intellectual property position around Gedeptin-based combination therapies,” said David A. Dodd, Chairman and CEO of GeoVax. “As checkpoint inhibitors move earlier in treatment paradigms, including first-line and neoadjuvant settings, we believe Gedeptin’s localized tumor-debulking and immune-sensitizing mechanism may provide an important opportunity to enhance and extend immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy.”
The exclusive license grants GeoVax global rights to patent applications and know-how for combining Gedeptin with ICIs within a defined field of use. This intellectual property supports GeoVax’s current and planned clinical programs, including a neoadjuvant strategy in head and neck cancer and evaluations in other solid tumors. GeoVax previously reported clinical data showing Gedeptin’s intratumoral delivery induces localized tumor cell death and immune activation, complementary to systemic checkpoint inhibition.
“Checkpoint inhibitors have transformed cancer care, but many patients still fail to achieve durable responses,” Dodd added. “The licensed Emory technology reinforces the scientific rationale for combining Gedeptin with ICIs to potentially convert immunologically ‘cold’ tumors into more responsive targets. This agreement supports our efforts to move decisively into combination-based clinical development.”
GeoVax plans to evaluate Gedeptin in combination with ICIs in a Phase 2 neoadjuvant clinical trial in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and preclinical assessments in additional solid tumor settings. The company continues to evaluate strategic collaboration opportunities for clinical development and potential commercialization of Gedeptin-based therapies.
Gedeptin is a GDEPT delivered intratumorally using a non-replicating viral vector encoding purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP). Following administration of a systemic prodrug, the enzyme converts it into a cytotoxic agent within the tumor microenvironment, selectively destroying tumor cells while promoting immune recognition and minimizing systemic toxicity. Gedeptin has received Orphan Drug Designation for oral and pharyngeal cancers.
GeoVax’s priority program is GEO-MVA, a Modified Vaccinia Ankara-based vaccine targeting Mpox and smallpox, advancing under an expedited regulatory pathway with plans to initiate a pivotal Phase 3 trial in the second half of 2026. In oncology, GeoVax is developing Gedeptin to enhance immune checkpoint inhibitor activity. The broader pipeline includes GEO-CM04S1, a next-generation COVID-19 vaccine candidate evaluated in immunocompromised populations. For more information, visit www.geovax.com.
