GeoVax Labs, Inc. (Nasdaq: GOVX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company, announced that Senthil Ranganathan, PhD, Vice President of Technical Development and CMC Operations, will present at the World Vaccine Congress Europe 2026, scheduled for October 19–22 at the RAI Amsterdam in the Netherlands. The presentation, titled “Revolutionizing MVA – Single Dose and Continuous Cell-Line Manufacturing,” will take place on Monday, October 19, at 11:00 a.m. as part of the Platform Technologies workshop. The announcement was made via NEWMEDIAWIRE.
GeoVax’s work focuses on two complementary objectives: achieving robust immunity with a single vaccine administration and establishing a scalable continuous cell-line MVA-manufacturing platform. MVA, or Modified Vaccinia Ankara, has a decades-long history as a well-characterized vaccine platform, increasingly important for emerging infectious diseases and biodefense threats. However, broader deployment of MVA-based vaccines can be limited by multi-dose regimens and manufacturing processes that rely on primary avian cells.
To address the challenge of multi-dose vaccination, GeoVax is developing its next-generation MVA-X technology. Preclinical studies have demonstrated protective immune responses following a single administration, supporting its potential for simplified vaccination regimens and more rapid deployment during outbreaks and public-health emergencies. Earlier this year, data presented at the World Vaccine Congress Washington showed that a single administration of MVA-X achieved protective efficacy comparable to a traditional two-dose MVA regimen in a murine orthopoxvirus challenge model, with protection maintained through Day 150.
In parallel, GeoVax is advancing production of MVA using the AGE1.CR.pIX continuous avian cell line as an alternative to traditional chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF)-based manufacturing. The company has demonstrated proof-of-concept for the upstream process, and the downstream process is in development to support production at the 200-liter scale, with a pathway toward 500-liter and larger-scale manufacturing. This approach is designed to enable scalable and reproducible production, reduce reliance on primary-cell supply chains, and facilitate manufacturing expansion and technology transfer. Continuous cell-line manufacturing could also provide a more flexible foundation for rapidly increasing MVA vaccine production in response to emerging infectious-disease and biodefense requirements.
David A. Dodd, Chairman and CEO of GeoVax, commented, “MVA is an important and well-established vaccine platform, and we believe there are significant opportunities to further improve how MVA-based vaccines are administered and manufactured. Our work with MVA-X and AGE1.CR.pIX addresses both sides of that equation - potentially simplifying vaccination through a single-dose approach while establishing a scalable manufacturing platform capable of supporting broader and more responsive vaccine supply.” He continued, “Senthil’s participation in the Platform Technologies workshop at World Vaccine Congress Europe provides an important opportunity to share GeoVax’s progress with the global vaccine community. Bringing together next-generation vaccine design and scalable manufacturing has potentially important implications for outbreak response, pandemic preparedness, biodefense, strategic stockpiling, and expanded global access to MVA-based vaccines.”
GeoVax’s priority program is GEO-MVA, a Modified Vaccinia Ankara–based vaccine targeting mpox and smallpox. The program is advancing under an expedited regulatory pathway, with plans to initiate a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial in the second half of 2026. In oncology, GeoVax is developing Gedeptin®, a gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy designed to enhance immune checkpoint inhibitor activity, which has completed a Phase 1/2 trial in advanced head and neck cancer. For more information, visit www.geovax.com.
