A promising new antibiotic showed encouraging results in treating gonorrhea infections in a major study. Two doses of the medication demonstrated a 92.6% success rate in the clinical trial. If ultimately approved, the investigational drug, gepotidacin, would be provide much needed treatment, since treatment options are very limited.
Currently, the combination of two antibiotics – azithromycin and ceftriaxone – is the standard option for less severe cases of gonorrhea. Unfortunately, the gonorrhea bacteria has evolved to resist both medicines, limiting their power to fight the illness. The bacteria has already developed resistance to the other antibiotics once used for patients with gonorrhea. Gepotidacin would offer sorely needed tool for physicians to use to care for these patients. Scientists are also investigating another purpose for the new drug: a treatment for urinary tract infections.
Full Story: CIDRAP