Virus-like particle vaccine to prevent gonorrhea
Official title: Proteomics-Driven Reverse Vaccinology for Gonorrhea
Funded at Oregon State University · NIH-11260199 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A vaccine that uses virus-like particles displaying key gonorrhea proteins to help protect people from antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Oregon State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Corvallis, United States) |
| Project start | February 10, 2022 |
| Project end | January 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $727,956 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI117235-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11260199 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Once human trials begin, ideal candidates would be sexually active adults at higher risk of gonorrhea, particularly in communities with high antibiotic resistance.
✕Less likely to help
People currently infected with gonorrhea would not get immediate treatment benefit from this vaccine research, and individuals who cannot receive vaccines for medical reasons may not benefit.
What this research studies
The team is making vaccine particles that display six gonorrhea proteins that are conserved across many strains. They attach these proteins to virus-like particles and test different antigen and adjuvant combinations to see which produce strong antibody responses. Immune responses will be measured in lab tests and in mouse infection models to check for bactericidal activity and protection. Promising formulations would be advanced toward safety and effectiveness testing in people.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to a vaccine that prevents gonorrhea infections and lowers cases of antibiotic-resistant disease.
How similar studies have gone: No gonorrhea vaccine is yet approved, though virus-like-particle vaccines work well for other infections and some meningococcal vaccines showed partial protection against gonorrhea, so this approach is promising but not yet proven.
Where this research is happening
-
Oregon State University
Corvallis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sikora, Aleksandra Elzbieta — Oregon State University
- Study coordinator: Sikora, Aleksandra Elzbieta
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.