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The first new treatments for gonorrhoea in many years are being described as a "huge turning point" in the fight against drug-resistant strains of the pathogen, according to researchers.

A Global Challenge

Gonorrhoea infections are escalating around the world, with estimates suggesting over 82 million infections per year. Particularly high rates are observed in the African continent and countries within the World Health Organization's Western Pacific region, which spans from Mongolia and China to New Zealand. Across England, cases have reached a record high, while figures across Europe in 2023 were triple the level compared to figures for 2014.

“The authorization of new treatments for gonorrhoea is an critical and opportune development in the reality of increasing worldwide cases, increasing antimicrobial resistance and the very limited therapeutic options at this time.”

Public health authorities are increasingly worried about the rise in antibiotic-resistant strains. The World Health Organization has listed it as a "priority pathogen". A tracking program found that the effectiveness of standard treatments like cefixime and ceftriaxone had risen sharply between 2022 and 2024.

Two New Therapies Secure Clearance

Zoliflodacin, also known as Nuzolvence, was authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration in mid-December for treating gonorrhoea. This infection can lead to major issues, including the inability to conceive. Researchers hope that targeted use of this new drug will help hinder the emergence of superbugs.

Gepotidacin, originating from the drugmaker GSK, also received approval in the same week. This treatment, which is also used to treat urinary tract infections, was demonstrated in studies to be effective against superbug versions of the gonorrhoea bacteria.

A Novel Approach to Creation

This new treatment emerged from a new, not-for-profit approach for medication research. The non-profit organisation Global Antibiotic Research & Development Partnership collaborated with the pharmaceutical company Innoviva to develop it.

“This milestone marks a huge turning point in the therapy of superbug gonorrhoea, which previously has been evolving faster than medical innovation.”

Clinical Trial Results and Worldwide Availability

Based on data released by a prominent scientific publication, zoliflodacin cured over nine in ten of genital gonorrhoea infections. This places it at an comparable level with the current standard treatment, which involves two antibiotics. The study enrolled nearly 1,000 patients from various regions including Belgium, the Netherlands, South Africa, Thailand and the US.

As part of the agreement of its development partnership, GARDP has the authority to license and sell the drug in many regions with limited resources.

Doctors treating patients have expressed positive views. The availability of a single-dose, oral treatment of this kind is hailed as a "game-changer" for gonorrhoea control. This is deemed crucial to alleviate the strain of the illness for patients and to stop the proliferation of untreatable gonorrhoea globally.