GeoVax Further Strengthens Management Team

   "Dr. McNally is joining our team to provide additional expertise to guide our AIDS vaccine development into advanced Phase 2a human clinical trials which are being planned for mid 2008. His strong bio-technical, research and managerial experience at all corporate levels provides GeoVax with the depth of expertise required to move efficiently forward at an accelerated pace," stated Don Hildebrand, GeoVax Chairman/President/CEO.

   Dr. Harriet Robinson, GeoVax co-founder and Senior Vice President of Research & Development stated, "It will be great having Dr. McNally on the team. He knows our company well, having served on our Board, and his technical and business expertise will be a very valuable asset moving forward."

   Dr. McNally has been a member of the GeoVax Board of Directors since 2006 and was previously a co-founder and CEO of Cell Dynamics LLC and Cell Design LLC companies specializing in GMP processing of human cells for pharmaceutical and therapeutic applications. Dr. McNally was also co-founder and Sr. Vice President of Clinical Research for CryoLife, Inc. a pioneering company in transplantable human tissues. He has had previous experience as European Regional Manager for Intermedics International, Inc. and European Marketing Manager for Pacesetter Systems-Europe, Ltd. in the UK. Dr. McNally serves as a member of the advisory boards of the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Dupree College of Management at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He is an elected fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, and is a past Chairman for the Georgia Biomedical Partnership, a trade association, and is recipient of the 2004 Biomedical Industry Growth Award for the State of Georgia. Dr. McNally has a Ph.D. and MSE in Bioengineering from University of Pennsylvania and an electrical engineering degree (B.E.E.) from Villanova University.

   "Through my years of association with GeoVax, I have become a strong advocate of the technology developed by Dr. Robinson. During those startup years, Don Hildebrand, provided the leadership necessary to create a strong team dedicated to the development of the vaccine and entry into clinical trials, I welcome this opportunity to join the team to oversee completion of the trials, and if successful, see worldwide distribution of this lifesaving vaccine," stated Dr. McNally.

   GeoVax is moving forward toward Phase 2 Human Trials.

   GeoVax has completed 2 Phase 1 human trials evaluating its HIV/AIDS vaccines with excellent results and has 3 additional human trials currently underway. Due to promising results from these 5 trials GeoVax is pushing forward with plans for critically important and larger Phase 2 human trials.

   GeoVax's HIV/AIDS vaccine is believed to be only the 5th HIV/AIDS vaccine moving toward Phase 2a human trials conducted by the HVTN. It was approximately the 65th vaccine protocol evaluated in earlier stage Phase 1 trials.

   "We are very pleased that our HIV/AIDS vaccine continues to demonstrate the promise of not only being safe but potentially effective at eliciting potentially protective immune responses in humans," stated Dr Harriet Robinson, Senior Vice President, Research & Development, for GeoVax.

   "GeoVax AIDS vaccines have passed the significant hurdles required to move into Phase 2 trials," stated GeoVax President, Don Hildebrand. Very few HIV/AIDS vaccines have reached this level of evaluation. The GeoVax AIDS vaccine technology and composition are significantly different than 2 other AIDS vaccines that recently had their human trials halted due to safety and effectiveness concerns. GeoVax is also planning additional non-human primate studies to evaluate its AIDS vaccines for effectiveness against very highly virulent (pathogenic) isolates of the AIDS virus which could possibly relate to how effective these vaccines might be in man.

   Keywords: AIDS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Bioengineering, Biomedical Engineering, Biomedicine, Biotechnology, Clinical Research, Clinical Trial Research, HIV, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Immunization, Medical Device, Pharmaceuticals, Therapy, Treatment, Vaccination, Vaccine Development, Vaccines, Virology, GeoVax Labs Inc.

   This article was prepared by AIDS Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2008, AIDS Weekly via NewsRx.com.

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