Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
February 18, 2026
GeoVax Secures Exclusive License to Boost Cancer Immunotherapy with Gedeptin
TLDR
- GeoVax's exclusive license with Emory University strengthens its IP position for Gedeptin combination therapies, potentially giving it a competitive edge in enhancing immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy across solid tumors.
- GeoVax's Gedeptin uses gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy to locally convert a prodrug into a cytotoxic agent within tumors, complementing systemic immune checkpoint inhibitors by sensitizing the tumor microenvironment.
- This technology could improve cancer treatment by converting immunologically cold tumors into responsive targets, potentially leading to more durable responses and better outcomes for patients with solid tumors.
- GeoVax's Gedeptin therapy delivers a gene via viral vector to make tumors produce their own chemotherapy locally, a clever approach to enhance existing cancer immunotherapies.
Impact - Why it Matters
This news matters because it addresses a critical challenge in cancer treatment: many patients do not achieve lasting benefits from immune checkpoint inhibitors alone, which are standard therapies for various cancers. By combining Gedeptin with these inhibitors, GeoVax aims to enhance their effectiveness, particularly for solid tumors like head and neck cancer, potentially leading to better survival rates and quality of life. This advancement could accelerate the development of more effective combination therapies, offering new hope for patients with limited treatment options and reducing healthcare burdens through improved outcomes.
Summary
GeoVax Labs, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, has significantly bolstered its immuno-oncology strategy through an exclusive worldwide license agreement with Emory University. This partnership grants GeoVax global rights to intellectual property covering the combination of Gedeptin®, its gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT), with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for treating solid tumors. The collaboration, which also involves Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, strengthens GeoVax's intellectual property foundation and supports its clinical programs, including a planned Phase 2 neoadjuvant trial in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and evaluations in other solid tumor indications.
The license is strategically important as it reinforces the scientific rationale for using Gedeptin to enhance the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors, which have transformed cancer care but often fail to produce durable responses in many patients. David A. Dodd, Chairman and CEO of GeoVax, emphasized that Gedeptin's localized tumor-debulking and immune-sensitizing mechanism could help convert immunologically 'cold' tumors into more responsive targets, potentially improving outcomes in first-line and neoadjuvant settings. This move aligns with GeoVax's broader development path, which includes advancing Gedeptin-based combination therapies and exploring strategic partnerships for clinical development and commercialization.
Gedeptin® works by delivering a non-replicating viral vector encoding purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) intratumorally, where it converts a systemically delivered prodrug into a cytotoxic agent directly within the tumor microenvironment. This approach aims to selectively destroy tumor cells while promoting immune activation and minimizing systemic toxicity, with the drug having received Orphan Drug Designation for oral and pharyngeal cancers. GeoVax's portfolio also includes GEO-MVA, a vaccine targeting Mpox and smallpox, and GEO-CM04S1, a next-generation COVID-19 vaccine candidate, but the focus here is on strengthening its oncology pipeline through this license. For more details, visit www.geovax.com, where the company provides updates on its innovative therapies and partnerships.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by NewMediaWire. Read the original source here, GeoVax Secures Exclusive License to Boost Cancer Immunotherapy with Gedeptin
