GeoVax Labs Q1 2023 Earnings Call Transcript

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May 4, 2023

There are 10 speakers on the call.

Operator

Good afternoon, and welcome everyone to the GeoVax First Quarter 2023 Corporate Update Call. My name is Jack, and I will facilitate today's call. With me are David Dodd, Chairman and CEO Mark Reynolds, Chief Financial Officer Mark Newman, Ph. D, Chief Scientific Officer Kelly McGee, Miles per hour, Chief Medical Officer and John Sharkey, Ph. D, Vice President, Business Development.

Operator

At this time, all participants are in a listen only mode. A question and answer session will follow the formal presentation. As a reminder, this conference is being recorded. At this time, I am turning the call over to Gabby DeGravina of GC Capital.

Speaker 1

Thank you. Please note the following. Certain statements in this presentation may constitute forward looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may differ materially from those included in these statements due to a variety of factors, including whether GeoVax can develop and manufacture its product candidates with the desired characteristics in a timely manner and such products will be safe for human use.

Speaker 1

GeoVax's vaccines will effectively prevent targeted infections in humans. GeoVax's product candidates will receive regulatory approvals to be licensed and marketed. GeoVax raises required capital to complete development of its products. There is development of competitive 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.

Speaker 1

More information about these factors is contained in GeoVax's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those set forth at Risk Factors in GeoVax's Form 10 ks. It is now my pleasure to introduce the Chairman and CEO of GeoVax, David Dodd.

Speaker 2

David? Good afternoon and thank you for participating in the GFx corporate update call. Since the start of 2023, we have expanded patient enrollment in support of the GEDEPTIN Phase 2 clinical trial and the 2 Phase 2 trials for GEO CMO4S1. Also the 3rd Phase 2 clinical program in support of CMO4S1 One, evaluating the vaccine as a booster among patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia has been viewed by the FDA and is expected to initiate soon. We also recently expanded our rights related to CMO4S1 to include omicron variants, monkeypox further differentiating our COVID-nineteen vaccine.

Speaker 2

While the clinical development progress of good depth in the CMO4S1 remain our priority. We are also focused on GEO MVA, our vaccine against monkeypox and smallpox, as well as the implementation of the transformative MVA continuous cell line manufacturing process. Last year, we strengthened our balance sheet adding $37,000,000 during a very difficult investment environment, especially for the biotech industry. This has enabled us to expand our current clinical programs, including additional sites, while also adding near term opportunities related further development opportunities, including our NVA manufacturing process and expanding our oncology programs. We expect that our cash position will support our increased clinical program expansions and other initiatives through the remainder of this year.

Speaker 2

In the interim, we will evaluate opportunities to further strengthen our balance sheet resulting from supportive stock activities, Business development opportunities and non dilutive opportunities related to government and NGO funding. Gadeptan is a cancer therapy currently in its expanded multi site evaluation among patients suffering from advanced head and neck cancers. The product has received orphan drug designation and funding for the current clinical trial from the FDA Orphan Drugs Clinical Trials Program. Our target population for the initial indication includes head and neck cancer patients who are receiving palliative care having failed other therapies There are approximately 67,000 new cases of head and neck cancers annually in the U. S.

Speaker 2

Approximately 13,000 deaths annually resulting from head and neck cancers. This represents our initial targeted patient population. Worldwide, there are approximately 900,000 new cases of head and neck cancers annually and approximately 400,000 deaths. Patients suffering from advanced head and neck cancer represent a critical unmet medical need, which we hope to The FDA funding the initial 10 patient portion of the clinical program underscores the recognition of this critical unmet medical need. Our focus is on completing the 10 patient study funded by the FDA.

Speaker 2

We anticipate completion of the initial 10 patient study yet this year, including our review of the results. We will review those results with the FDA along with our recommendations for an expanded program, While also discussing with the FDA the potential for an expedited BLA filing, We're excited about the outlook and promise of Godepin within advanced head and neck cancers as well as other opportunities related to the as well as the potential combo therapy in conjunction with other therapies such as immune checkpoint inhibitors. We also Anticipate potential synergy with the GeoVax MOCK1 tumor associated antigen approach. Relative to commercialization, we anticipate collaborations in support of worldwide use for which business development activities have already been initiated. We hold worldwide rights for the use of In all indications, the vast array of unmet medical needs within oncology represent significant opportunities for GeoVx to advance novel approaches addressing various cancer patient needs worldwide.

Speaker 2

Throughout 2023, we are GEO CMO4S1, our next generation COVID-nineteen vaccine, Differentiates from the current authorized COVID-nineteen vaccines in targeting both the antibody and cellular arms of the immune system, focusing on providing a more robust and durable protection than the current authorized vaccines. This is critically important in addressing the high risk Such populations include those with various blood cancers, renal disease, sickle cell anemia, HIV positive Generation COVID-nineteen vaccines to support such individuals and we believe that CM04S1 is the leading next generation vaccine in Clinical Development. A recently published article in the New England Journal of Medicine highlights the critical need for seems to induce both antibodies and T cells for optimal protection against SARS CoV-two infection. CMO-four S1 is specifically constructed to include the spike protein and the nucleocapsid protein and to induce a broader focused immune response specific to those proteins on the SARS CoV-two virus. Clinical evaluation demonstrated that CM04S1 does in fact We induced both strong antibody and T cell responses against both the spike and nucleocapsid proteins.

Speaker 2

The results of this clinical study were reported last year in The Lancet Micro publication of the Phase 1 data. With depleted ability to mount effective antibody responses. New safety and immune response data from the Phase 2 trial We're presented at the World Vaccine Congress in Washington, D. C. During April of 2023, highlighting the potential effectiveness of this While the noise of COVID seemed to have died down, SARS CoV-two It is well accepted that the current authorized vaccines are not sufficiently protective and that the durability is unsatisfactory.

Speaker 2

In fact, just a few weeks ago, the White House announced Project NexGen, A $5,000,000,000 initiative, the follow on from Operation Warp Speed seeking COVID-nineteen vaccines with enhanced breadth of protection We'll enter in clinical trials within the next 9 months. We believe that CM04S1 is the leading example of the desired next generation vaccines. We have considerable interest both domestically and internationally in participating in our clinical development program. We believe that an opportunity for an expedited regulatory path will likely exist due to our focus on high risk populations Unserved by the current COVID-nineteen vaccines as well as the monoclonal antibody therapies. Also, we anticipate partnering collaborations in support of worldwide commercialization and distribution.

Speaker 2

Our focus for the remainder of 2023 Includes accelerating efforts in support of Godaptan and CMO4S1 Phase 2 clinical programs, advancing the GeoVax Presentations are expected at various scientific and medical conferences to update the progress on both gedepatin and CMO-four S1. We anticipate reporting further preclinical information related to the use of the Codepin technology used in conjunction with immune check Regarding GEO MVA as a vaccine against monkeypox and smallpox, Our intent is to be the 1st and primary U. S.-based supplier of an MVA based vaccine to protect against mpox or monkeypox Smallpox providing expanded supply and access worldwide, especially related to low and middle income countries, which have consistently experienced significant difficulty in the supply of many critical vaccines. We are advancing this initiative and look forward to reporting Last year, 2022, we strengthened our balance sheet adding $37,000,000 during a time and with many biotech firms, We're furloughing programs and or people. We feel that our capital development success has reflected investor support and belief in the value and growth opportunities underway at GeoVax.

Speaker 2

We continue to receive strong interest related to investment capital, which we'll evaluate, We're focused on execution towards our 2023 goals, strengthening shareholder value and achieving critical reporting milestones for our development programs. Now I'd like to turn the presentation over to Mark Runnels, Genivac's Chief Financial Officer, for a review of our recent results and financial status. Mark?

Speaker 3

Thank you, David. I'll begin with a brief overview of our income statement, and I'll first point out that we reported no grant revenues During 2023 as compared to a small amount in 2022, which is reflective of the wind down of our grant from the U. S. Army for our loss fever preclinical program. I'll note, however, that we are actively seeking additional non dilutive government funding for our preclinical and clinical development programs, and we expect this to be an important component of our financing mix in the future.

Speaker 3

Research and development expenses were $2,800,000 in the Q1 of 2023 versus $1,300,000 in 2022, the increase was planned and expected and is associated with as we staffed up during 2022. G and A expenses were $1,500,000 in the Q1 of 'twenty 3 as compared to $1,200,000 in 'twenty two with the increases also associated with higher personnel and consulting costs as well as patent costs. So overall, net loss for the Q1 of 2023 was $4,000,000 or $0.15 per share versus $2,400,000 in 2022 or $0.34 per share, again with the increases primarily associated with the ramp up of organizational infrastructure and other costs associated with the CMO4S1 and gedepitant clinical trials. Turning now to the balance sheet. Our cash balances at March 31st were $23,900,000 as compared to $27,600,000 at December 31.

Speaker 3

The change in cash This reflective of $3,800,000 used in operating activities, there were no significant financing or investing activities during the Q1. Our outstanding common shares now stand at 26,400,000. Funding our 3 ongoing Phase 2 fundable programs is obviously the most We believe the advancement of our clinical programs will create an attractive investment opportunity for new fundraising activities. And I'll be happy to answer any questions during the Q and A period. So I'll now turn the call back over to David.

Speaker 2

Thank you, Mark. My colleagues and I will now answer your Joining us for the Q and A session are doctors Mark Newman, Kelly McKee and John Scharfarky, our Chief

Operator

Jason Kolbert with Dawson James, your line is open. Jason Kolbert, your line is open.

Speaker 4

I'm here. Thank you. Great job conserving capital resources and focusing on what's important clinical Spencer, something that we couldn't say about this company a couple of years ago. One really interesting question I have is, What kind of discussions are you having with the government about what they are looking for in terms of a next Generation COVID vaccine, they're probably thinking something ubiquitous for the population, but have you caught their attention? And have you had any of those

Speaker 2

On the 10th April, the federal government issued the RFI request for information related to Project NextGen and that specifically outlined what they were looking for relative to criteria and it was what I Actually stated during my comments about durability, breadth of protection and specifically focused that durability is a key issue that the breadth of protection is an issue and that also there are Populations out there for whom current vaccines and therapies are inadequate. So they laid that out. The process for the RFI is that you complete it and submit it, which we did very quickly, Very well prepared, I'd say, response to it. They will go through those and then decide with whom they're going to follow-up We have that all outlined. Now to address the question, we have had ongoing discussions With individuals within the federal government, that includes those who are Specifically part of the review team, etcetera, on Project NextGen, we've been having such discussions for some time now And had some even more recently on that and have discussed with them and shared with them what we have accomplished thus far and what we're proceeding towards with the continuous AAVID cell line manufacturing process, which seemed to really capture And ultimately, we'll have to see how they respond.

Speaker 2

The process of Submitting a response to the RFI is closed on May 25. So right now, it's still different companies are submitting. Again, we submitted ours very quickly. We And so we're in the waiting. We still are engaging in outreach and discussion with various Federal government individuals, some of whom are part of Project Next Gen and some who are part of related entities, Making sure that they're a wire not only of GeoVax, but of what we have already accomplished, where we are in the process of clinical development and what our plans are in terms of moving forward with this new manufacturing system.

Speaker 2

So I hope that answers the question. So the answer is yes, we have that dialogue, But we're also working through the process they've laid out also, but we're also working directly through other avenues to make sure we reach out to people.

Speaker 4

Perfect. Thank you. And David, if you don't mind, could you just touch on the sequence of milestones? I know you did mention it earlier, But given your CFO's comments, I'd just like to understand how they lay out over the next 12 months.

Speaker 2

Okay. So with Godepta now we have 8 of the 10 patients In the program, we had expanded it, as you recall, to 3 sites. So we anticipate bringing in the last two for this initial A 10 patient trial, that's the one that's been funded fully by the FDA. Our plan is to have that accomplished Sooner rather than later, clearly, yet this year to review the data. We've already been in discussions with our Advisors about the expanded program that we would propose to the FDA.

Speaker 2

So we anticipate yet this year to review the data, To discuss the data and hopefully initiated and have initial discussions with the FDA.

Speaker 4

Perfect. Thank you so much. We really we appreciate all these updates.

Speaker 2

Okay. Thank you.

Operator

Vernon Bernardino with H. C. Wainwright, your line is open.

Speaker 5

Hi, David and Mark, everyone. Thanks for taking my question. And congrats on the process, especially with the Manufacturing for MVA based vaccine immunotherapies is a really important piece. A lot of my questions were asked by Jason, so I don't have anything other than just wanted to get your take. As you know, on the federal register, do you see ACIP is going to have a meeting next month?

Speaker 5

One of the things they intend to discuss is mpox, formerly called monkeypox. Was wondering if there's anything there as well as the other vaccine recommendations that they may have that could help you with your programs. Candidates could be advancing Citiclina in the near term future such as next 6 to 12 months?

Speaker 2

Thank you, Vernon. We're not aware of anything on that agenda that relates to what we're doing, but I'm going to ask John Sharkey To weigh in since he is leading our MVA vaccine program that is specifically What we in license or acquired the rights to and are developing against mpox and smallpox. So John?

Speaker 6

Sure. Hey, thanks for the question, Brian.

Speaker 5

Hey, John.

Speaker 6

As we've mentioned before, Our desire for the MBA is as a multi box and small box has become a U. S. Based manufacturer, Eventually switch to a continuous cell line platform so that we can manufacture on large Scale in quick timeframes. Our regulatory strategy, as we mentioned, is that there's a number of countries outside the U. S.

Speaker 6

That were unable were or still are unable to get access to the NBA vaccine. And so we see a market opportunity there. Our strategy right now is engaging. We have retained an outside regulatory Consulting Group that's well known and respected in this space and we're putting together the strategy to see what regulatory agencies around The world will be open to working with us given the known safety and efficacy of NBA against smallpox and monkeypox To put together, as we refer, an expedited pathway, whether that's an accelerated pathway, whether that's a biosimilar, whatever it is, What pathways would be available to get approval from a recognized regulatory agency that we could then use with NGOs and other countries That we'll be confident with that approval would now allow use of NDA within their territory. So that's our general strategy.

Speaker 6

Right now, we're in the We're past the information gathering. We're beginning now to reach out to regulatory agents to engage discussions with them about our thinking and how we would like to work with them To accelerate an approval process to get this bond to the market, because we believe there's a need in many parts of the world.

Speaker 5

Terrific. Thanks for that information. And as a follow-up, do you anticipate Making further progress and announcing progress on those kinds of Things you might get as far as what the governments need outside the U. S, outside the Western world, such as Europe Later this year?

Speaker 6

Yes, it will definitely be within the next few months. We've looked at this as you know for a couple of months now I'm kind of reading the regulations and working with our consultants. We've mapped out proposed strategies that we want to present to them as well as engage them and see what their thinking is on how we might adjust them or tweak them or is there a pathway we may not be familiar with that they would be willing to work with us on. So this is going to move quickly forward into the engagement stage with the regulators.

Speaker 5

Perfect. That's very exciting. Looking forward to further news on that front. And thanks for taking my question.

Speaker 6

You're welcome.

Operator

Kumar Raja with ROTH Capital, your line is open.

Speaker 7

Thanks for taking my questions and congratulations on the progress. Just a follow-up on doreptine. Will you be enrolling more than 10 patients if they are creamed by Q2? And in terms of the interactions with the regulators following those interactions, how quickly do you think you can expand the program? Is the expectation that in the expanded program there will be ARM which will include a checkpoint inhibitor?

Speaker 7

Thank you.

Speaker 2

Okay. I'm going to ask Kelly McKee, our Chief Medical Officer, to provide some guidance on there. And then he and John Shark, you may want to discuss the status related to the what is currently still preclinical, but with the immune checkpoint inhibitors. Kelly?

Speaker 8

Yes. Hi. With regard to whether or not we would continue enrolling after We hit our current target of 10 patients. I think that's a bit of an open question. We don't Have any current plans to do that, but I think it would probably depend on sort of The dynamics of enrollment, if we have an opportunity to add 1 or 2 additional patients Within a reasonable timeframe, for example, if there are if our investigators have people identified that are sort of Waiting and willing and available to enroll without delaying The final closure of the study then we would probably consider that.

Speaker 8

But I think at the present time we really We are targeting 10 total patients for this study, get it closed up to get the data reviewed in front of the regulators For furthering our discussions.

Speaker 2

John, do you want to comment some on the ICIs and where that stands and what we're learning?

Speaker 6

Sure. So as David said, it's still in preclinical The scheduling of the ICIs in combination With Cadetin, I think, and Kelly can speak to it more, is still somewhat open. Our focus right now is to see the data from the 10 patients, See what's actually there, had discussions with the agency on what we could do to get gedepid approved as the monotherapy. At what point we would now roll in the ITI with that? I think it's going to be very dependent on how that discussion goes with the regulatory agency.

Speaker 6

Preclinical data is Highly suggestive because one is never sure when you go from a small animal to human that there will be a synergistic effect between the 2. But that's a discussion we have to have with the regulator to decide how in concert with them how we want to proceed and I'll let Kelly add any other insight to that.

Speaker 8

Well, only that I think we're very optimistic that this is going to be Sort of major advancement for our program. You're well aware of the success That Moderna and Merck have had in fracture melanomas. There was some recent data on bladder cancer where they have an oncolytic virus paired up with a checkpoint inhibitor, which in many ways is sort of similar to the concept or conceptually similar to what we've got in mind, Exposing the only antigens. And so I think we're optimistic that this offers a potential for for us to target patients with head and neck cancer in earlier stages of the disease as well as The solid tumor types with this approach. So, we're going to move as quickly as we can To advance this, but again, it's going to depend on our discussions with the regulators about what's required for us to get there.

Speaker 7

Okay, that's great. Thanks so much.

Operator

James Molloy with Alliance Global Partners. Line is

Speaker 1

open. Hi. This is Laura in for Jim Molloy. Thank you for taking our questions. So for enrollment for the Phase onetwo trial of ganukptin expected to be completed soon this quarter, when should we anticipate A last patient in or a last patient visit announcement.

Speaker 1

And then also on top of the ICIs that were already mentioned in the previous question, What might the protocol for the subsequent expanded trial look like? Or will this be determined following the completion of the ongoing Phase III trial?

Speaker 2

Let me just comment. Once we have the 10th patient enrolled, there are 5 cycles. That's basically 5 months. So that gives you a time period depending on when that 10th patient is enrolled, Then we look forward to them through the 5 cycles and then the evaluation of the data. So if we're successful and they come in The sooner they come in, then the more likely is we'll be able to see the results of the completion through the 5 yet this year.

Speaker 2

I mean, that's just arithmetic. So it depends on that. And that's what we're working on. That's obviously when we expanded To the 3 sites from the initial one that then opened up greater opportunity to be able to move this along and complete this initial 10 patient study. There's been no discussions about clinical protocol related to in conjunction and combo therapy with ICIs, mainly because our Focus is really on determining if there is a basis which we hope to see from the 10th patient To then look at an expanded Phase 2 trial and that may be anywhere depending on what the final protocol is structured, But less I think we're thinking less than 100 patients and all.

Speaker 2

But again, that will be based upon the discussions we have in review of the data. I'll ask if Kelly would like

Speaker 8

Just to note that enrolling these patients is not as simple and straight Forward as it might appear on the surface, remember that our trial is targeting patients with Essentially the terminal stages of their disease, so it's more or less palliative therapy for these folks. And in order for us to find eligible patients, they have to have exhausted all of their other therapeutic options and they have to be healthy enough to enroll in a study that's going to take them through again 6 months, 5, 6 months of treatment. And we found that those patients tend to be few and far between. And so, We're trying as hard as we can to get eligible patients identified and enrolled, but it's taken a little bit longer than we had initially anticipated. But as David said, I mean, once we get this study fully enrolled, get our data analyzed and in front of the agency and have our about what they would like to see for us to continue in this patient population And then what they would also like to see for us to take a sort of a parallel approach with the checkpoint inhibitor Potentially other combination strategies.

Speaker 8

We're just going to have to wait to see what how those discussions go, I think.

Speaker 2

Thank you. And it will be a and if the data is supported, it will be the priority For sure, because we've been encouraged by the limited data that was in the Phase 1 and We're happy that we now have 8 of them, but we need to get the 10, we need to analyze the data and reach agreement on an expanded Phase 2 program and then we'll go full out with expanded sites and try to move that as quickly as possible and then in parallel also With the other trials. So we'll keep you updated though. Thank you.

Speaker 1

Understood. Also just one more question. So For your CMO-4S1 candidate, as mentioned with the shifting landscape for COVID-nineteen, you know, as new variants emerge, Does this change in any way the development for this candidate moving forward? And then do you also think it may work equally as well against these newer strains?

Speaker 2

Well, we don't know the latter until we have some testing and we have evidence of it. The concept Targeting both the antibody side and T cells to the spike protein and nucleic capsid It's done to hopefully achieve a broader more robust type of protection and where The antibody alone is insufficient more or less that we can more than compensate for that by Incorporating with the T cells. And so that's what we're hoping to demonstrate. We did announce recently we had added the rights In terms of related to Omicron, to the license agreement that we have and we'll continue to look At the current vaccine, you'll see CM04S1 and also if we decide that we want to do some alternate modifications because of So we just have to stay attuned to that. One thing we do know is that the modifications that have been going on with existing vaccines Continue to provide us with sort of inadequate vaccines for the breadth of populations and especially for those individuals with compromised immune systems.

Speaker 2

And as we've discussed before, we're focusing very heavily to differentiate by going after The populations that are underserved or not adequately served by the current authorized vaccines and that's the basis behind the structure of CMO for us. 1, and we believe that the initial data we're seeing shows that we that It's making a much broader difference. So we'll keep you updated as Dayton comes forward.

Speaker 1

Got it. Thank you for taking the questions.

Speaker 2

Thank you.

Operator

Robert Loehr with Noble Capital Markets, Your line is open.

Speaker 9

Thank you. Well, John and Kelly gave a very good answer to my question About the ICI inhibitors and combinations. But the question that I still have is about the timing of an announcement for Godefendant. And based on the earlier comments with the 5 cycles and looking at the calendar, It looks as if an announcement might come maybe at the end of the year, but more likely Q1. Is that what you're thinking?

Speaker 2

Yes, Robert, depending on again, obviously, when that 10th patient comes in, etcetera, then we it's just like We've always done on trials when you know the length of the evaluation period, you would just map that out. So we're as anxious As everyone to get these last two patients in. But as Kelly mentioned, as you said, These are patients who have failed everything. There is not anticipated survival from this type of therapy. It's really can we affect the tumors and improve their quality of life during this terminal period of their lives, we're in their own palliative

Operator

There are no further questions at this time. I'd like to turn the call back over to David Daub for closing remarks.

Speaker 2

Well, thank you, and thank you everyone for participating in this update call and sharing in our achievements, progress and outlook. We greatly appreciate your interest. Our biggest focus and greatest challenge is to see an accelerated That's what we're focused on, good depth and CMO for S1 and the other development programs we've talked about today. Our goal is that by doing this, we'll be able to build shareholder value, stakeholder value and of course, providing a motivating career development We want to thank our Board of Directors, our staff, our advisors and all other parties, including some of you Who have been asking questions and continue to support, advise and guide us towards achieving success. With that, we wish you all a great evening Have a great weekend, great cinco de mile.

Speaker 2

And again, thank you for your interest in GeoVax.

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