Startup
From Science to Startups: A Conversation with the Head of New Ventures at VIB
AdJane - Amplifying the vaccines of tomorrow
1 min read
AdJane is a Netherlands-based biotech developing next-generation vaccines using its proprietary Outer Membrane Vesicle (OMV) platform. Spun out of Intravacc by FDI, AdJane deploys advanced genetic engineering to precisely tailor both the antigenic composition and intrinsic adjuvanticity of OMVs, delivering a versatile and clinically validated platform for safer, more effective, and longer-lasting vaccination. The company’s lead candidate targets gonorrhea, a WHO-prioritized pathogen with no preventive solution.
Anita Gashi, Director Photo by:
Problem Aiming to Solve
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most urgent threats to global health. Gonorrhea, a leading AMR pathogen of concern with over 80 million new cases each year, has developed resistance to nearly all antibiotic classes and is now often treated with last-line therapies. Beyond reproductive complications such as infertility, untreated infections increase susceptibility to HIV and can cause serious neonatal outcomes, including infection-related blindness. Despite decades of research, no licensed vaccine exists, underscoring the urgent need for a preventive solution.
Our Solution:
OMVs naturally mimic pathogens, presenting antigens in their native conformation and triggering strong immune responses without the need for external adjuvants. AdJane enhances this innate biology through precise engineering of OMV composition - optimizing its content to strengthen intrinsic adjuvanticity and achieve balanced, durable immune activation. Positioned at the forefront of OMV innovation, this technology combines built-in immunostimulation, safety, and scalable manufacturing.
Building on their platform, AdJane is developing a prophylactic vaccine to combat gonorrhea, a persistent and increasingly drug-resistant infection. The OMV-based vaccine expresses gonococcal antigens while overcoming immune evasion, a key limitation of previous approaches. The program represents a crucial step toward protecting reproductive health worldwide and mitigating one of the fastest-rising antimicrobial threats.
Unique Selling Point:
AdJane’s OMV platform eliminates the dependency on added adjuvants, uniquely balancing intrinsic immunostimulatory properties and precise antigen presentation to achieve potent immune activation with an excellent safety profile, as demonstrated in a Phase 1 study. Backed by decades of research, it represents a next-generation approach to bacterial and viral vaccine design.
As a female-led biotech, AdJane brings a distinctive perspective to innovation and global health leadership, championing inclusive, purpose-driven progress across the life sciences.
Seeking:
AdJane welcomes discussions with collaborators and partners interested in our vaccine platform or specific pipeline assets.
