Dr. Robinson, a co-founder of the GeoVax HIV-1 AIDS vaccine technology,jointly presented the findings, entitled "GeoVax Clade B DNA/MVA HIV/AIDSVaccine is Well Tolerated and Immunogenic when Administered to HealthySeronegative Adults," with Dr. Bernard Moss of the U.S. National Institutes ofAllergy and Infectious Diseases and co-founder of the GeoVax vaccine.
In the presentation, Robinson reported that a dose escalation study showedthat a 1/10th dose and an anticipated normal dose of the GeoVax vaccine bothelicit anti-viral CD4 and anti-viral CD8 T cells. However, the fuller doseelicited a higher number of antibody responders.
For the normal dose, 77 percent of the participants had respondingCD4 T cells; 42 percent had responding CD8 T cells, and 88 percent experiencedan anti-Env antibody response. The vaccine was also found to be safe.
Based on the excellent immune response rates and the GeoVax HIV/AIDSvaccine's ability to protect non human primates against AIDS development inpre-clinical challenge models, planning of a large Phase 2 trial is underwayand tentatively scheduled for a mid-2008 start.
As recently announced, due to the significant advances by GeoVax'sHIV/AIDS vaccine development program, Dr. Robinson is joining the GeoVaxmanagement full time on February 15, 2008, as Vice President of Research andDevelopment. By focusing her efforts exclusively at GeoVax, Dr. Robinsonintends to speed up the vaccine development and human trial evaluation programrequired to meet FDA regulatory requirements and future vaccinecommercialization efforts.
Dr. Robinson stated, "Our AIDS vaccine efforts are rapidly moving forwardto a new and exciting level and include plans for initiating Phase 2 humantrials in 2008. It's important to me to be able to work full time with theGeoVax team to learn absolutely everything we can from our phase 2 trials sothat we appropriately set the stage for phase 3 efficacy trials. I believe inthe GeoVax vaccine and want to carry it forward as rapidly and as effectivelyas possible for worldwide use for the prevention of AIDS."
The HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) in Seattle is testing GeoVax'sHIV/AIDS vaccines. HVTN funded and supported by the National Institutes ofHealth (NIH), is the largest worldwide clinical trials program dedicated tothe development and testing of HIV/AIDS vaccines. The National Institute ofAllergy and Infectious Diseases of the U.S. National Institute of Healthfunded pre-clinical work enabling the development of the clinical evaluationof GeoVax's DNA and MVA vaccines.
The NIH recently provided additional support to GeoVax's vaccinedevelopment program in the form of a $15 million IPCAVD grant awarded inOctober 2007.
GeoVax Labs, Inc.
GeoVax Labs, Inc. (http://www.geovax.com) is a biotechnology companyestablished to develop, manufacture, license and commercialize human vaccinesfor diseases caused by HIV-1 (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and otherinfectious agents. GeoVax's vaccine technology is covered by 20 issued orfiled patent applications. GeoVax HIV/AIDS vaccines are designed to preventAcquired Immunodeficiency Disease (AIDS), caused by the virus known as HIV-1.GeoVax HIV/AIDS vaccines may be effective as therapeutics (treatment of peopleinfected with AIDS virus). Studies evaluating these vaccines in HIV/AIDSinfected individuals are in the planning stage.
GeoVax's core HIV/AIDS vaccine technologies were developed through acollaboration of colleagues at Emory University's Vaccine Center, the NationalInstitutes
