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FORNY20-FORNY2020

KVAL: Development of a novel gonorrhoea protein subunit vaccine candidate

Alternative title: Utvikling av vaksinekandidat mot gonoré

Awarded: NOK 0.50 mill.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the gonococcus, is the causative agent of the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea. It is one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted infections worldwide. In 2012 it was estimated that N. gonorrhoeae infected around 78 million people globally, with the highest burden in men. Recent highlight research has shown that the gonococcus population evolution has been significantly shaped by antimicrobial usage, such that the modern gonococci emerged during the 16th century and were later driven into two main lineages. N. gonorrhoeae has developed resistance to all known classes of antimicrobials and the remaining strategies to address this threat are outlined in national, regional and global action plans. N. gonorrhoeae infections were recently declared as an international concern in the WHO Global Report on AMR and as an urgent public health threat by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Under these circumstances, identifying promising vaccine candidates is a key public health need. In this project we sought to establish a basis for a novel protein subunit vaccine candidate against gonorrhea.

The project has identified potential vaccine candidate antigens for a protein subunit vaccine against gonococcal infections and the project team are in the process of securing intellectual property rights for these.

Funding scheme:

FORNY20-FORNY2020