BRIEF—LimmaTech targets first gonorrhea vaccine with licensing deal

Swiss vaccines company LimmaTech Biologics has announced a license and collaboration agreement with Griffith University in Queensland, Australia.

LimmaTech - which was spun out from GlycoVaxyn after its $190 million acquisition by UK pharma major GSK - has obtained an exclusive license to a suite of vaccine technologies developed by Michael Jennings and Kate Seib at Griffith University’s Institute for Glycomics.

Technologies will be initially applied, alongside LimmaTech’s in-house expertise, to develop what would be the world’s first vaccine against gonorrhea, the second most common sexually transmitted disease worldwide.

Michael Kowarik, chief scientific officer of LimmaTech, said: “Antibiotic resistance and rising rates of gonorrhoea infections worldwide demonstrate the need for a gonococcal vaccine that can protect against potentially life-threatening variants. Antibodies against our antigens are functionally active in a variety of relevant assays, demonstrating promising vaccine efficacy.

“Our collaboration with Griffith University will enable us to develop a much-needed vaccination option to address gonorrhoea and to advance other new vaccines for rapidly evolving global challenges.”