Neisseria gonorrhoeae is the bacterium responsible for the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea, which ranks among the most common bacterial infections worldwide. Gonorrhea commonly presents as urethritis in men and cervicitis in women. Initially, gonorrhea was easily treatable with penicillin; however, over time, it has developed resistance to each successive recommended treatment. This escalating resistance has led the WHO and CDC to classify it as an urgent antibiotic resistance threat and a global public health priority. Currently, there is no vaccine for gonorrhea.
To address this urgent issue, we have leveraged our profound understanding of N. gonorrhoeae biology and function to characterise several novel surface virulence factors of the bacterium. We evaluated their potential as vaccine antigens and are now in the process of developing the most effective gonorrhea vaccine. Simultaneously, we have identified a repurposed drug candidate that shows promise as a new therapeutic for multidrug-resistant N. gonorrhoeae infections. Through these efforts, we aim to provide innovative solutions to combat the rising threat of multidrug-resistant gonorrhea.