GeoVax Secures Key Patent for Gedeptin Cancer Therapy Through 2045

GeoVax Labs, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company, has achieved a significant milestone with the issuance of U.S. Patent No. 12,453,760, titled "Enhanced Therapeutic Usage of a Purine Nucleoside Phosphorylase or Nucleoside Hydrolase Prodrug," by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). This patent provides robust composition-of-matter and method-of-use protection for GeoVax's innovative Gedeptin® platform, specifically in combination with targeted delivery approaches for treating solid tumors, including head and neck cancer. The patent, which extends through 2045, strengthens the company's intellectual property estate and consolidates its leadership in the field of targeted gene therapies, supporting ongoing and future clinical development plans. David A. Dodd, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GeoVax, emphasized that this issuance marks an important milestone in advancing and protecting the company's oncology pipeline, underscoring their commitment to progressing Gedeptin both as a monotherapy and in synergistic combination with other oncology treatments to deliver meaningful options for patients with difficult-to-treat solid tumors.

Gedeptin is a gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT) designed for targeted use in solid tumors, delivered via a non-replicating adenoviral vector encoding purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) followed by systemic fludarabine. This approach generates localized cytotoxic activity within tumors while minimizing systemic toxicity, offering key advantages such as tumor-selective cytotoxicity, expansion potential across multiple solid tumors, synergistic potential with checkpoint inhibitors, a favorable safety profile, and orphan drug designation from the FDA for oral and pharyngeal cancers. The therapy has already demonstrated safety and disease control in a multi-center Phase 1/2 trial in patients with advanced head and neck cancer. GeoVax is actively preparing for a Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating Gedeptin as a first-line therapy in combination with pembrolizumab (Keytruda®) in resectable head and neck cancer, aligning with the recent shift toward neoadjuvant checkpoint strategies. Additional preclinical programs are assessing Gedeptin across other tumor types, including breast and cutaneous cancers, highlighting its tumor-agnostic potential. For more information about the current status of clinical trials and other updates, visit the company's website at www.geovax.com, which serves as a key resource for stakeholders and interested parties following this groundbreaking development in oncology treatment.