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Immunology and Microbiology› Microbiology› Bacterial Infections and Vaccines

Gonorrhoea — 4CMenB meningococcal B vaccine for cross-protection against Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Submitted 2026-10-22

Field: Immunology and Microbiology › MicrobiologyType: No effect foundArea: gonorrhoeaArea: vaccine developmentTarget: 4CMenB meningococcal B vaccine for cross-protection against Neisseria gonorrhoeaeStage: randomized trial

Hypothesis

Two doses of the 4CMenB meningococcal vaccine would reduce gonorrhoea incidence in gay and bisexual men, as observational studies suggested.

What failed

In the open-label MenGO trial with 2 years of 3-monthly follow-up, vaccination did not significantly reduce gonorrhoea incidence (IRR 0.78, 95% CI 0.40–1.51, p = 0.457), although it raised serum bactericidal titres against N. gonorrhoeae at 6 months.

Broken assumption

The cross-protection against gonorrhoea seen in observational studies of 4CMenB shows up in a randomised trial.

Why

The vaccine was immunogenic, but titres did not rise in men infected at vaccination. The authors note the trial was small, sized for an assumed efficacy above 67%, and disrupted by COVID-19.

From the published paper: Thng et al. npj Vaccines, 2026. ↗CC BY

Research ideas from this failure

Unvetted lead — read the papers

New hypotheses this failure suggests, each with a crucial experiment, a rival explanation of the original result, and the papers it rests on. Written by AI from paper titles and abstracts found on OpenAlex (and Europe PMC, for life and health sciences).

Related failures (3)

Matched on shared genes, mechanisms and ways of failing as well as wording. Each shows why it matched — treat these as leads rather than verdicts.

Links in published research

Where this experiment's genes are known to matter outside its own research area, and the papers behind those links. Sources: Open Targets Platform and Europe PMC.