The first new treatments for gonorrhoea in decades have been approved in the US, raising hopes of tackling the rapid rise of drug-resistant strains of the infection.
Gonorrhoea causes more than 82 million infections globally each year, with cases at record highs in England and rising sharply across Europe. Resistance to existing antibiotics has increased significantly, prompting the World Health Organization to label the disease a priority pathogen.
Last week, the US Food and Drug Administration approved two new antibiotics. Zoliflodacin, marketed as Nuzolvence, was cleared on 12 December, while gepotidacin received approval a day earlier. Both have shown effectiveness against drug-resistant gonorrhoea.
Zoliflodacin cured more than 90% of genital infections in clinical trials involving 930 participants across five countries, with no serious safety concerns. It offers a single-dose oral alternative to current treatments, which rely on injectable antibiotics.
Dr Manica Balasegaram of the Global Antibiotic Research & Development Partnership called the approval a “huge turning point”, while the WHO said the new drugs arrive at a critical time given rising resistance and limited treatment options.
Researchers stress that careful use will be essential to slow the development of resistance, but say the new therapies could significantly improve global control of the disease.
