Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
February 24, 2026

GeoVax Forms Elite Oncology Board to Advance Cancer Immunotherapy Gedeptin

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Original Source

TLDR

  • GeoVax's new advisory board with top immuno-oncology experts could accelerate Gedeptin's development, potentially giving it a competitive edge in combination cancer therapies.
  • GeoVax formed an Oncology Advisory Board to guide Gedeptin's Phase 2 trial combining it with checkpoint inhibitors for head and neck cancer treatment.
  • This advisory board could help advance cancer treatments that combine localized tumor control with immune activation, potentially improving outcomes for patients with solid tumors.
  • GeoVax's Gedeptin therapy uses a viral vector to deliver an enzyme that converts a prodrug into a tumor-killing agent directly at the cancer site.

Impact - Why it Matters

This development represents a significant step forward in cancer treatment innovation, potentially impacting millions of patients worldwide. Immunotherapy has revolutionized oncology in recent years, but many patients still don't respond adequately to current treatments like checkpoint inhibitors. Gedeptin's approach of combining localized tumor destruction with immune system activation could address this critical gap, particularly for solid tumors that have proven resistant to existing therapies. The involvement of world-renowned experts like Dr. Bountra, Dr. Ernstoff, and Dr. Olszanski increases the likelihood that clinical trials will be well-designed and scientifically rigorous, potentially accelerating the path to effective new treatments. For cancer patients and their families, this represents hope for more effective combination therapies that could improve survival rates and quality of life. The focus on head and neck cancers is particularly important, as these cancers often have limited treatment options and significant impact on patients' ability to speak, swallow, and breathe normally.

Summary

GeoVax Labs, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company, has formed a high-powered Oncology Advisory Board featuring three internationally recognized leaders to guide its cancer immunotherapy programs. The board includes Dr. Chas Bountra, a translational medicine expert from Oxford University; Dr. Marc S. Ernstoff, a pioneer in cancer immunotherapy from Dartmouth Health; and Dr. Anthony J. Olszanski, a clinical trial specialist from Fox Chase Cancer Center. Their collective expertise spans immuno-oncology, translational medicine, and checkpoint inhibitor combination strategies, positioning them to provide critical guidance as GeoVax advances its oncology pipeline.

The advisory board will focus primarily on Gedeptin®, GeoVax's gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT) designed as an immune-sensitizing platform. The company plans a Phase 2 trial combining Gedeptin with an immune checkpoint inhibitor in locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, with parallel evaluation across additional solid tumors. Gedeptin's intratumoral delivery mechanism aims to enhance antigen release and immune activation within the tumor microenvironment, potentially complementing systemic checkpoint blockade. The board will provide integrated guidance on clinical trial design, translational biomarker strategy, patient selection, and regulatory pathways as Gedeptin advances through combination and neoadjuvant clinical programs.

GeoVax leadership emphasized that this advisory board strengthens their scientific foundation as they position Gedeptin as a novel immune-sensitizing therapy across solid tumors. The company's broader pipeline includes GEO-MVA for mpox and smallpox, advancing under an expedited regulatory pathway with a planned Phase 3 trial in late 2026, and GEO-CM04S1, a next-generation COVID-19 vaccine candidate. For more information about these developments and the company's progress, visit www.geovax.com, where additional details about their innovative approaches to high-consequence diseases are available through their official communication channels including NEWMEDIAWIRE.

Source Statement

This curated news summary relied on content disributed by NewMediaWire. Read the original source here, GeoVax Forms Elite Oncology Board to Advance Cancer Immunotherapy Gedeptin

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