Heterologous approach aims to deliver targeted, broad-spectrum immune response to Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections
BOSTON, April 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) is awarding US$2.6 million to AdJane to advance the development of a vaccine candidate to prevent infections caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae). AdJane is a clinical-stage vaccine platform company based in the Netherlands that utilizes its native Outer Membrane Vesicle (nOMV) platform to address antimicrobial resistance, pandemic preparedness, and global health challenges.
N. gonorrhoeae causes gonorrhea, one of the most commonly reported sexually transmitted bacterial infections responsible for over 80 million new infections annually. The disease can lead to severe complications including pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and an increased risk of contracting HIV, while many infections go undiagnosed due to the absence of symptoms.
Furthermore, N. gonorrhoeae does not induce durable natural immunity, resulting in frequent reinfections and repeated courses of antibiotic treatment. The cycle of reinfection and antibiotic exposure has contributed to escalating antimicrobial resistance.
"Clinical management of gonorrhea is becoming increasingly complex due to rising antimicrobial resistance and limited treatment options," said Richard Alm, interim Chief of R&D at CARB-X. "AdJane's approach represents a technically grounded strategy that aims to address key challenges in generating protective immunity to reduce the infection rate of gonorrhea and slow the spread of antimicrobial resistance."
AdJane's nOMV platform - building on a completed Phase I clinical trial that demonstrated a favorable safety profile in humans - is being applied to gonorrhea through a heterologous approach. This strategy combines a broad, platform-driven antigenic background with the targeted expression of multiple highly conserved gonococcal antigens to elicit a targeted, broad-spectrum immune response to N. gonorrhoeae.
"We are delighted to join the CARB-X portfolio and grateful for the support as we advance our vision to address antimicrobial resistance through our platform," said Anita Gashi, Managing Director of AdJane. "This award recognizes the potential of our next-generation nOMV platform to address global health challenges such as gonorrhea. Our heterologous approach enables the creation of a single component vaccine construct designed to deliver both broad and targeted immune protection, while supporting streamlined development and manufacturing."
The AdJane award is a continuation of a previous CARB-X award to support the development of a vaccine to prevent gonorrhea.
When CARB-X was founded in 2016, the early-stage antibiotic pipeline was stalled. Since then, CARB-X has supported 123 R&D projects in 14 countries, and CARB-X product developers have made significant progress: 25 projects have advanced into or completed clinical trials; 14 remain active in clinical development, including late-stage clinical trials; and three products have reached the market. Additionally, at least 10 product developers with active R&D projects have already secured advanced development partnerships which can help support their clinical development after leaving the CARB-X portfolio. All CARB-X-funded product developers are contractually obligated to develop a Stewardship and Access Plan for their product, outlining strategies to ensure responsible stewardship and appropriate access in low- and middle-income countries.
CARB-X is funded in part with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) under agreement number 75A50122C00028 and by awards from Wellcome (WT224842), the UK Department of Health and Social Care's Global Antimicrobial Resistance Innovation Fund (GAMRIF), the Gates Foundation, Germany's Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the Novo Nordisk Foundation, Italy's Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), Japan's Ministry of Health, the European Commission's DG Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (DG HERA), and KfW Development Bank. The U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in HHS, provides support in the form of in-kind services through access to a suite of preclinical services for product development. The content of this publication is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of any CARB-X funders.
CARB-X Contact: Marissa Novel, carbxpr@bu.edu
AdJane Contact: Anita Gashi, anita.gashi@adjane.com
About CARB-X
CARB-X (Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator) is a global non-profit partnership dedicated to supporting early-stage antibacterial research and development to address the rising threat of drug-resistant bacteria. CARB-X supports innovative therapeutics, preventatives and rapid diagnostics. CARB-X is led by Boston University and funded by a consortium of governments and foundations. CARB-X funds only projects that target the most serious, resistant bacteria identified on global priority lists, syndromes with the greatest global morbidity and mortality, and performance characteristics necessary for patients. https://carb-x.org/ | X (formerly Twitter) @CARB_X
About AdJane
AdJane is a clinical-stage vaccine platform company utilizing its native Outer Membrane Vesicle (nOMV) platform to address pandemic preparedness, antimicrobial resistance, and global health challenges. AdJane's platform has been scientifically developed over 30 years by leading Dutch governmental research institutions. The company's next-generation platform enables rapid vaccine development through three distinct deployment modalities and supports both prophylactic and therapeutic applications. Visit www.adjane.com.
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