ATLANTA, Oct. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- GeoVax Labs, Inc. (OTC Bulletin
Board: GOVX) ("GeoVax" or the "Company"), an Atlanta-based, biopharmaceutical
company developing human vaccines for diseases caused by HIV-1 (Human
Immunodeficiency Virus) and other infectious agents, today announced that it
will move its corporate headquarters and laboratory operations from the
Briarcliff campus of Emory University to Smyrna, Georgia, a northwest suburb
of Atlanta, effective November 3, 2009.
The Company has been housed in the Emtech Bio incubator facility (a
partnership between Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology)
since its formation in 2001. The new location at 1900 Lake Park Drive, Suite
380, Smyrna, Georgia 30080, will encompass over 8400 square feet of office and
laboratory space. The Company will occupy this new headquarters under a
62-month lease. The facility is situated within an existing biotech building
in a controlled-access campus, and will house all of the Company's U.S.
research and development, process engineering, quality control, regulatory and
administrative operations.
Bob McNally, Ph.D., GeoVax's President and Chief Executive Officer stated,
"This move will give GeoVax much-needed additional space for our current
activities, as well as providing space to accommodate the addition of several
new employees to our research and development staff and the resulting
expansion of our operations. The new facility will offer suitable space for
our corporate needs while keeping our overall facility expenses in line. We
appreciate the years of support from Emory University, Georgia Tech and the
Georgia Research Alliance, all entities that were instrumental in contributing
space and equipment while the Company was in its initial development phases.
Our move is not only physical, but represents the continuing growth of
GeoVax's leadership position in HIV vaccine technology."
GeoVax shareholders, media and other interested parties who wish to tour the
Company's new facilities may contact the Company directly at 678-384-7220
(after November 3) to schedule an appointment.
HIV/AIDS Background
HIV affects the entire globe and comes in a variety of subtypes. Clade B is
the predominant subtype in North America where there are roughly 60,000 new
infections each year. Globally, there are about 2.5 million AIDS infections
per year, most primarily involving subtypes AG, B, and C. In 2007, UNAIDS
reported 1.3 million people living with AIDS in North America and 33.2 million
people living with AIDS worldwide. Presently, there is little to prevent HIV
transmission other than education, circumcision, and condoms. It is obvious
from the spread of the disease that these methods are not adequate. Existing
treatments for individuals infected with HIV include anti-retroviral therapies
that are effective but have serious medical side effects and are very
expensive (upwards of $1,500/month). This cost is borne primarily by the
individual and sometimes by third party insurance, local healthcare, federal
or world health organizations. Development and distribution of an effective
HIV/AIDS vaccine holds great promise. The GeoVax Vaccine would cost a
fraction of the cost of current treatments and, to date, has not elicited
serious adverse side effects in several human trials. A population vaccinated
with an effective HIV-1 vaccine would be expected to significantly decrease
the prevalence of AIDS over time.
About GeoVax Labs, Inc.
GeoVax Labs, Inc. is a biotechnology company, established to develop,
manufacture, license and commercialize human vaccines for diseases caused by
HIV-1 (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and other infectious agents. GeoVax's
AIDS vaccine technology is the subject of 20 issued or filed patent
applications. GeoVax AIDS vaccines are designed for use in uninfected people
to prevent Acquired Immunodeficiency Disease (AIDS), caused by the virus known
as HIV-1, should the person become infected. GeoVax AIDS vaccines also may be
effective as a therapeutic treatment (for people already infected with the
HIV-1 virus).
GeoVax's core AIDS vaccine technologies were developed by Dr. Harriet
Robinson, Senior V.P. of Research and Development, through a collaboration of
colleagues at Emory University's Vaccine Center, the National Institutes of
Health (NIH), The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and GeoVax.
GeoVax's AIDS vaccines have moved forward in human clinical trials conducted
by the HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) based in Seattle, Washington. The
HVTN, funded through a cooperative agreement with the National Institutes of
Health (NIH), is the largest worldwide clinical trials program dedicated to
the development and testing of AIDS vaccines. Preclinical work enabling
evaluation of GeoVax DNA and MVA vaccines was funded and supported by NIAID,
which provided additional support to GeoVax AIDS vaccine development program
with a $17 million IPCAVD grant awarded in late 2007.
Safe Harbor Statement
All statements in this news release, not statements of historical fact, are
forward-looking statements. These statements are based on expectations and
assumptions on the date of this press release and are subject to numerous
risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially
from those described in the forward-looking statements. Risks and
uncertainties include, but are not limited to, whether: GeoVax can develop and
manufacture these vaccines with the desired characteristics in a timely
manner, GeoVax's vaccines will be safe for human use, GeoVax's vaccines will
effectively prevent AIDS in humans, vaccines will receive regulatory approvals
necessary to be licensed and marketed, GeoVax raises required capital to
complete vaccine development, there is development of competitive products
that may be more effective or easier to use than GeoVax's products, and other
factors over which GeoVax has no control. GeoVax assumes no obligation to
update these forward-looking statements, and does not intend to do so. Certain
matters discussed in this news release are forward-looking statements
involving certain risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, risks
detailed in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings and
reports.
SOURCE GeoVax Labs, Inc.
Robert McNally of GeoVax, +1-404-727-0971, rmcnally@geovax.com, or
+1-678-384-7220 (after November 3); or Leslie Loyet, Investor Relations,
+1-312-640-6672, lloyet@mww.com; or Nikki Snodgrass, Media Relations,
+1-312-640-6732, nsnodgrass@mww.com, both of Financial Relations Board for
GeoVax