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COVID-19

New Vaccine Development to Combat "Super Gonorrhoea" a Growing Concern

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Scientists at the Oxford University, who previously collaborated with AstraZeneca to develop the COVID-19 vaccine, are now working on a new vaccine to prevent gonorrhoea, a sexually transmitted disease that may become untreatable with antibiotics if left unchecked. The development of a gonorrhoea vaccine is crucial as health experts fear the bacterial infection could mutate and survive typical treatments, leading to a mutated version of a near-indestructible form of gonorrhoea, known as "super gonorrhoea." The Oxford team, led by the Jenner Institute, has received a $2 million grant from the global antibacterial funding program CARB-X to develop a vaccine candidate that works by injecting fluid-filled sacs into the body containing small amounts of gonococcus, the bacterium that causes gonorrhoea.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Oxford University scientists are developing a vaccine to prevent gonorrhoea, a sexually transmitted disease that may become untreatable with antibiotics.
  • The gonorrhoea vaccine development is crucial as health experts fear the bacterial infection could mutate and survive typical treatments, leading to a mutated version of a near-indestructible form of gonorrhoea.
  • The Oxford team has received a $2 million grant from CARB-X to develop a vaccine candidate that works by injecting fluid-filled sacs into the body containing small amounts of gonococcus.
  • The researchers hope to reach a clinical trial phase by 2024 and are currently testing a vaccine candidate that trains a person's body to recognize the infection and fight it off.
  • Gonorrhoea is a significant public health problem, with 820,000 gonococcal infections reported in the US per year, and the development of a vaccine is essential to combat the disease.
  • The stigma and taboos attached to gonorrhoea have previously led to delayed treatment, resulting in the emergence of resistant strains.
  • The earliest records of gonorrhoea date back to 1161, when the English parliament enacted a law to curb the spread of the infection.

Statistics:

  • 820,000 gonococcal infections are reported in the US per year (Source: Insider).
  • Gonorrhoea has been a public health concern since 1161, with the English parliament enacting a law to curb its spread (Source: News Point).
  • The Oxford team has received a $2 million grant from CARB-X to develop a gonorrhoea vaccine (Source: The Telegraph).
  • The researchers hope to reach a clinical trial phase by 2024 (Source: End Points).
  • Gonorrhoea is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, with signs of gonorrhoea becoming supercharged since 2007 (Source: Insider).

Sources:

  • The Telegraph, "Oxford scientists working on vaccine to prevent gonorrhoea"
  • Insider, "What is super-gonorrhoea? How a super-resistant strain of the STI is making doctors worried"
  • News Point, "Gonorrhoea: What are the symptoms and how is it treated?"
  • End Points, "Oxford scientists working on vaccine to prevent gonorrhoea"
  • CARB-X, "CARB-X funding to develop gonorrhoea vaccine"

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