Two new antibiotics approved in the US could mark a major breakthrough in tackling drug-resistant gonorrhoea, researchers say, as global cases of the sexually transmitted infection continue to rise.
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved zoliflodacin and gepotidacin, the first new treatments for gonorrhoea in decades. The World Health Organization estimates more than 82 million cases occur worldwide each year, with growing resistance to existing antibiotics.
Zoliflodacin, sold under the name Nuzolvence, cured more than 90% of genital infections in clinical trials and can be taken as a single oral dose. Gepotidacin, developed by GSK, has also proven effective against resistant strains.
Health officials warn that resistance to current frontline drugs has increased sharply in recent years, prompting the WHO to label gonorrhoea a priority pathogen. Researchers hope the new treatments will slow the spread of highly resistant strains and strengthen global efforts to control the disease, particularly in countries with limited treatment options.
