Gonorrhoea continues to be a significant public health concern, particularly among gay and bisexual men, transgender people, and people living with HIV. It is also increasingly complicated by the rise of antibiotic-resistant strains, making prevention more important than ever.
A major Australian clinical study, the GoGoVax trial, has recently shared its results. The trial investigated whether a vaccine already used to treat meningococcal could also help reduce gonorrhoea transmissions.
What was the GoGoVax trial?
GoGoVax was a multi-centre randomised controlled trial involving 587 gay and bisexual men, as well as trans women and non-binary people who have sex with men, aged 18–50 years.
It tested whether the meningococcal B vaccine—specifically the 4CMenB vaccine, could help prevent new cases of gonorrhoea.
The study was conducted across seven public sexual health and general practice clinics in New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland. It was led by researchers from Griffith University’s Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics and the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney.
Why this research matters
There is currently no licensed vaccine to prevent gonorrhoea, and there are concerns around the rise in antibiotic-resistant strains. The idea behind GoGoVax was based on earlier observational findings suggesting that the 4CMenB vaccine might offer some cross-protection against gonorrhoea.
What did the trial find?
- The vaccine did not reduce the risk of gonorrhoea acquisition.
- Participants who received the vaccine had similar rates of transmission compared to those who received a placebo.
- This result was consistent across participants living with and without HIV.
These findings align with another recent randomised trial in France, the DOXYVAC trial, which also found no significant protection against gonorrhoea from the 4CMenB vaccine in a similar population.
Together, these studies provide strong evidence that the 4CMenB vaccine does not prevent gonorrhoea in men who have sex with men who are at higher risk.
What does this mean for the community?
While the results are disappointing from a prevention standpoint, they still provide valuable direction for future research. Scientific progress does not always confirm the original hypothesis.
Although the 4CMenB vaccine did not prevent gonorrhoea, it is still an effective vaccine for preventing meningococcal.
For more information on gonorrhoea prevention, please talk to your GP or sexual health physician, or consult the following NSW Health advice: (https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/gonorrhoea.aspx)
Acknowledgement to community
This research would not have been possible without the generous participation of community members, including gay and bisexual men, trans and non-binary people, and people living with HIV. Their involvement continues to be essential in advancing sexual health research and improving future prevention options.
For more trial information visit: https://www.kirby.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/documents/GoGoVax-Summary_Results_for-Study-Participants_2026.pdf
https://www.kirby.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/documents/KirbyInstitute_MR_Gogovax-results.pdf
