Schlieren ZH – LimmaTech Biologics receives financial support from the CARB-X funding initiative, which focuses on the fight against antibiotic resistance. The 2.2 million dollars are to finance the development of a vaccine against gonorrhea.
LimmaTech Biologics has received a grant of 2.2 million dollars from the CARB-X initiative for the development of a vaccine against gonorrhea, according to a press release. The vaccine aims to prevent infections with Neisseria gonorrhoeae, against which only an antibiotic for the treatment of resistant strains of bacteria is effective. Neisseria gonorrhoeae causes the disease commonly known as gonorrhea.
According to the CARB-X press release, around 82 million people worldwide were infected in 2020. Patients with gonorrhea can face serious health consequences, including pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic pain, infertility and an increased risk of contracting HIV.
"Resistant strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae have evaded all but one antibiotic (ceftriaxone)," Erin Duffy, Head of Research and Development at CARB-X, is quoted as saying. "LimmaTech's vaccine project, if successful, could prevent the disease and significantly curb the spread of resistant bacteria around the world," says Duffy.
"Gonorrhea is becoming increasingly resistant to treatment, which reinforces the urgent need for a highly effective and safe vaccine that can protect against this serious and widespread pathogen," Franz-Werner Haas, CEO of LimmaTech, is quoted as saying.
The Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) is a global non-profit initiative headquartered at Boston University that aims to accelerate the development of innovative antibiotics to combat antibiotic resistance.
LimmaTech Biologics is based in Schlieren and is a member of the Bio-Technopark Schlieren-Zurich. ce/gba