GeoVax, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company, announced its sponsorship of the 3rd Annual Dr. David Satcher Global Health Equity Summit, hosted by Morehouse School of Medicine. The summit, taking place October 2, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia, convenes global health experts, policymakers, researchers, community organizations, and students to address pressing challenges in health equity. This year's theme, "The Quest for Health Equity & Justice: A Glocal Perspective," focuses on scaling local innovations, policies, and partnerships globally to close equity gaps in healthcare access. The event provides a platform for advancing health equity through research, innovation, and policy, serving as a catalyst for collaboration and action to achieve sustainable change in global and community health.
The 2025 Summit features keynote speaker Dr. John N. Nkengasong, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Senior Bureau Official for Global Health Security and Diplomacy, alongside distinguished leaders from academic, government, and private sectors. Sessions will explore critical topics including vaccine access and trust, innovations in pandemic preparedness, and community-driven models for health equity. Representing GeoVax at the Summit will be Mary Hauser, PhD, Director of Preclinical Research, who will be available throughout the event to discuss the Company's vaccine and immunotherapy programs. Dr. Hauser will highlight GeoVax's work advancing MVA-based vaccines designed to meet the needs of immunocompromised and underserved populations, emphasizing the Company's commitment to translating scientific innovation into real-world accessibility.
David Dodd, Chairman & CEO of GeoVax, stated, "Health equity is not just a goal - it is a mandate for global progress. We are honored to support the Satcher Summit and partner with Morehouse School of Medicine in advancing solutions that ensure lifesaving vaccines and therapies reach those most in need." The Dr. David Satcher Global Health Equity Summit was founded in honor of Dr. David Satcher, the 16th Surgeon General of the United States and Founding Director of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute. The sponsorship aligns with GeoVax's clinical focus on populations often excluded from mainstream vaccine development.
GeoVax's lead clinical program is GEO-CM04S1, a next-generation COVID-19 vaccine currently in three Phase 2 clinical trials. It is being evaluated as a primary vaccine for immunocompromised patients such as those suffering from hematologic cancers and other patient populations for whom current authorized COVID-19 vaccines are insufficient, as a booster vaccine in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and as a more robust, durable COVID-19 booster among healthy patients who previously received mRNA vaccines. In oncology, the lead clinical program is evaluating a novel oncolytic solid tumor gene-directed therapy, Gedeptin®, having recently completed a multicenter Phase 1/2 clinical trial for advanced head and neck cancers. GeoVax is also developing a vaccine targeting Mpox and smallpox and, based on recent EMA regulatory guidance, anticipates progressing directly to a Phase 3 clinical evaluation, omitting Phase 1 and Phase 2 trials. For more information about the current status of clinical trials and other updates, visit https://www.geovax.com.
The implications of this announcement are significant for global health equity efforts. By sponsoring this summit and focusing its research on vulnerable populations, GeoVax is positioning vaccine accessibility as a core component of its corporate strategy. This matters because immunocompromised individuals, such as cancer patients, often have reduced responses to conventional vaccines, leaving them at higher risk during pandemics. The company's work on GEO-CM04S1 directly addresses this gap, potentially offering a more effective option for those underserved by existing vaccines. Furthermore, the decision to potentially advance its Mpox/smallpox vaccine directly to Phase 3 trials, following EMA guidance, could accelerate the availability of critical countermeasures. The summit's focus on "glocal" strategies—scaling local solutions globally—resonates with GeoVax's approach of tailoring vaccines to specific community needs. This sponsorship highlights the growing recognition within the biotechnology industry that equitable access is not merely an ethical imperative but a scientific and commercial necessity for sustainable public health. The collaboration with Morehouse School of Medicine, a historically Black institution with deep community ties, underscores the importance of inclusive partnerships in bridging trust gaps and ensuring that innovations reach marginalized groups. As health disparities continue to widen globally, initiatives like this summit and GeoVax's involvement signal a shift toward more targeted, equitable vaccine development that could redefine pandemic preparedness and cancer treatment for the world's most vulnerable populations.
