The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved two new oral antibiotics for the treatment of uncomplicated urogenital gonorrhea, marking the first new classes of medications for the sexually transmitted infection in decades. Gepotidacin (Blujepa) and zoliflodacin (Nuzolvence) offer new treatment options as gonorrhea continues to develop resistance to existing antibiotics. Gonorrhea can cause painful urination, genital discharge, and, if left untreated, may lead to chronic pain, infertility, and an increased risk of acquiring or transmitting HIV. In the Phase III EAGLE-1 clinical trial involving more than 600 participants, gepotidacin cured 93% of patients, compared with 91% receiving the current standard treatment. A separate Phase III study of more than 900 participants found zoliflodacin cured 91% of patients, while standard treatment achieved a 96% cure rate. The new approvals provide important tools in the fight against antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea.
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