New antibiotic could treat drug-resistant gonorrhea, study says
A new class of antibiotic has been found to be safe and effective in treating gonorrhea in late-stage trials, according to a new study published Monday in The Lancet.
The drug, called gepotidacin, works by preventing bacteria from replicating in the body and was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in March to treat uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women and in girls 12 years and older.
If approved to treat gonorrhea, it will be the newest antibiotic to treat the sexually transmitted infection since the 1990s.
The drug is manufactured by the pharmaceutical company GSK and is sold under the name Blujepa.
After reaching a historic low in 2009, cases of gonorrhea in the United States steadily increased until 2021 and have slowly declined since then, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Still, gonorrhea is the second most common sexually transmitted infection in the country with 601,319 reported cases in 2023, according to the agency.
Gonorrhea, and other STIs, are becoming more difficult to treat as they become increasingly more resistant to existing antibiotics.
The CDC currently recommends providers treat gonorrhea with a 500 mg injection of the antibiotic ceftriaxone. The agency updated its treatment guidelines in 2023, directing providers to administer a higher dose of the drug to combat antibiotic resistance.
Justin Gill, an urgent care nurse practitioner and president of the Washington State Nurses Association, told The Hill that he frequently treats gonorrhea and has encountered cases of the infection that are resistant to ceftriaxone.
'There are only a handful of antibiotics that are available as backup options,' he said. 'The development of new antibiotics has been slow, but federal investment in new and emerging antibiotic options is necessary before resistant strains of gonorrhea expand further.'
If left untreated, gonorrhea can cause serious health complications which can lead to infertility in both men and women, as well as increasing the odds of contracting and passing HIV, according to the CDC.
The trial of more than 620 people showed gepotidacin was about 92 percent effective in treating the infection among those who took the drug twice a day. Meanwhile, a regimen of combination ceftriaxone and azithromycin was about 91 percent effective.
Stuart Ray, an infectious disease professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine who did not take part in the study, said that any progress in safely and effectively treating gonorrhea is 'exciting.' He added that the fact that the drug can be administered in pill form makes it 'attractive.'
'In general, it's very exciting to see a late-stage trial for a new antimicrobial for a thorny problem like gonorrhea,' he said. 'I think it's very exciting to see data and progression of an agent this far down the path.'
Ray said that of the more than 600 trial participants, less than 10 percent were women.
'We have to be careful about making conclusions about subgroups that may have been somewhat underrepresented.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Oakland County issues alert for measles exposure site in Rochester Hills
FOX 2 - The Oakland County Health Division is notifying the public about a Rochester Hills measles exposure site involving a person from another county. The exposure site is a medical office building at 3950 S. Rochester Road at the corner of South Boulevard on Tuesday, June 3, according to a release from the Oakland County Health Division. Anyone there between 8 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. may have been exposed to measles. If you think you were exposed to measles at this location on June 3, Immune Globulin (IG) treatment is effective within six days of exposure for high-risk individuals. Those considered high-risk include women who are pregnant, unvaccinated children under age 5 and those who have a weakened immune system due to illness and disease including diabetes or HIV, malnutrition and/or medications. If you are not eligible for IG, monitor symptoms through June 24. If symptoms develop, call ahead to your health care provider. Individuals born in or before 1957 are considered immune. Measles is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease that is spread by direct person-to-person contact and through the air. The Health Division recommends unvaccinated individuals ages 1 year and older receive a measles vaccination to protect themselves and those around them. Anyone who doesn't have a record of two MMR vaccines, unsure if they've have been vaccinated, or unsure if you've had measles in the past, needs to contact their health care provider. Measles can live for up to two hours in the air where an infected person coughed or sneezed. Symptoms of measles usually begin 7-14 days after exposure, but can appear up to 21 days after exposure, and may include: High fever (may spike to over 104°F Cough Runny nose Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis) Tiny white spots on the inner cheeks, gums and roof of mouth (Koplik Spots) 2-3 days after symptoms begin. A rash that is red, raised, blotchy; usually starts on face, spreads to trunk, arms and legs 3-5 days after symptoms begin. The MMR vaccine is available through some health care providers, Oakland County Health Division offices in Southfield and Pontiac, and many pharmacies. Health Division offices are located at the following addresses: North Oakland Health Center, 1200 N. Telegraph Road, Building 34 East, Pontiac South Oakland Health Center, 27725 Greenfield Road, Southfield. Health Division clinics hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tuesday 9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Thursday 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Visit for more information on measles, or contact Nurse on Call, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, at 800-848-5533 or noc@
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Myths VS Facts: What health officials want you to know about the MMR vaccine
SALT LAKE CITY () — With measles cases increasing in the U.S., including two recent brushes with the disease in Utah, health officials want to remind the public that the safest protection against it is the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Earlier this week, the Utah Department of Health and Human Services announced they are monitoring a potential measles exposure in southwestern Utah after an unvaccinated individual from out of state visited the area while infectious with the disease. Health officials monitoring potential measles exposure in southwestern Utah Additionally, health officials said a through the Salt Lake City International Airport in May. This incident was determined to be low risk, as the passenger was vaccinated. Although there are no recorded cases in Utah yet, with some in neighboring states, health officials want residents to know that there could be some soon and to be prepared. 'It is the time to go and check what your vaccine status is, what your kid's vaccine status is, and make sure everybody has the right vaccine, so you don't have to worry about this. There's a great way to prevent it, you can take it, it's a good safe, effective way to not have measles get into your family,' said Dr. Leisha Nolen, the state epidemiologist. Health officials report that measles is one of the most contagious diseases. Measles signs and symptoms generally appear about 10-14 days after exposure, with common symptoms including high fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, and white spots in the mouth known as Koplik's spots. In addition, a rash with small red spots may appear after 3-5 days. The CDC reports that measles was declared eliminated from the United States in 2000, which is described as an absence of the continuous spread of disease for more than 12 months. But, there have been more cases in recent years. Currently the CDC says there are 1,168 confirmed measles cases in the United States. There have been three confirmed deaths from measles in the U.S. in 2025. Passenger with measles travels through SLC airport, determined low risk for spread met with Dr. Andrew Pavia, professor of pediatric infectious diseases and chief of hospital epidemiology at Primary Children's Hospital, to learn more about the vaccine and its effectiveness, as well as break down some myths. 'We've seen an unprecedented amount of measles in the country this year, so we've just been waiting for it to arrive in Utah, ' he said. '…We've been preparing for it. Now, with this exposure in Saint George, it's likely that there will be more cases. Many people have never seen measles, even their parents may not have seen it. It's a pretty bad disease — and when we say childhood illness, we think of something like chickenpox, where kids are uncomfortable for two or three days, and that's it. Measles is miserable in its average form, but can be dangerous, or even deadly. That's why we really care about it, and that's why we really, really want everyone to help protect their children.' The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that the MMR vaccine is safe and effective, and that it protects you from measles, mumps, rubella, and other serious diseases. According to the CDC, almost everyone who has not had the MMR vaccine will get sick if they are exposed to those viruses. The says that numerous studies have been conducted over the year, confirming its safety and efficacy. Minimal risks, such as swelling in cheeks or neck and allergic reactions can occur, the AAP said, but the protecton it provides far outweighs the risks and more serious outcomes that can come from measles itself. Dr. Pavia said that the vaccine has low rates of potential side effects and protects you against measles for life. 'This vaccine has been extremely carefully studied. It has been studied in placebo-controlled trials, and every time it's been tweaked or improved slightly, the new version has been compared to the old one,' Dr. Pavia said. 'It's very, very safe by the standards of any medicine you want to look at. That's not to say there aren't some side effects. Kids, not uncommonly, can get a fever after the MMR vaccine. They can also get a rash 1 to 2 weeks out, or some joint aches. It's a little bit more common in adults who get it, but serious complications of this vaccine are extraordinarily rare and rarer than with most other vaccines.' One dose of the MMR vaccine is 93% effective against measles, while two doses are 97% effective, according to the CDC. The CDC says that although some vaccinated people may still get measles, mumps, or rubella if exposed to the viruses, their symptoms will generally be milder, and they will be less likely to spread the disease. The CDC said that the MMR vaccine has been thoroughly studied in the United States and other countries and no link between autism and the MMR vaccine has been found. Although the vaccine, like medicine, can have side effects, these are typically mild and go away on their own. 'There are no long-term consequences of the MMR vaccine and it's been incredibly well-studied because of the concerns people have raised,' Dr Pavia. said. 'There are over 20 studies looking at whether or not there's any connection to autism. That's a common thing that's brought up, and these studies done in many different countries have showed absolutely no link. With a serious disease and a very good vaccine, if you're going to pick one vaccine to get this summer, it should be the one.' Some may believe getting measles and developing natural immunity is safer than getting the vaccine, however, say otherwise, as natural infection comes with more risks. Dr. Pavia explained getting the disease from natural infection is more dangerous with serious cases leading to the hospital, death, or brain damage. 'If none of those things happen, you're going to be miserable, or your child's going to be miserable for four to eight days,' Dr. Pavia said. '… If I had a good vaccine to offer for rattlesnake bites, would you say it's better to get bitten by a rattlesnake and develop some immunity to the venom or to get a vaccine?' Both recent brushes with measles in Utah were related to travel, which we will be seeing more of this summer. Dr. Pavia said now is a good time to think about getting your kids vaccinated and protected. 'Utahns are going to be traveling with their kids this summer, going to places where there's even more measles. Of course, Utah's an important destination for people during the summer, so we can expect more importations, more people showing up in Utah with measles. It's really important that we and our kids have the best protection possible,' he said. Dr. Pavia also emphasized the importance of seeking out reputable resources to learn more and educate yourself on MMR vaccine information, such as speaking to your own family practitioner. 'I think it's really important for people to educate themselves. We say that a lot, but then you go to social media or talk to friends, and there's just so much misinformation out there. Educate yourself, but look for reliable sources. Go to the Utah State Department of Health. Look at the University of Utah or Intermountain websites. Go to Medscape. There are lots of good sources of information where you can learn more, but just be careful in what you consume,' he said. '…I hope you and your kids have a great summer, but please be safe and be healthy out there.' Musk floats 'The American Party' after Trump tiff Myths VS Facts: What health officials want you to know about the MMR vaccine Good4Utah Road Tour: Willard Bay State Park Lori Vallow Daybell back in court, charged with conspiracy to murder ex nephew-in-law Man charged with assault for allegedly attacking and strangling neighbor Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
ProZenith Launches Natural Supplement Formulated for Weight Management Support
U.S.-Made Product Supports General Wellness Goals with a 60-Day Refund Policy Aurora, June 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ProZenith recently announced the launch of its new wellness supplement developed to assist individuals in maintaining energy, focus, and mindful appetite awareness as part of a balanced and active lifestyle. Manufactured in the United States in a facility that is FDA-registered and GMP-certified, the product is now available through official online channels. ProZenith is intended for individuals pursuing support for general weight management and overall well-being. Its formulation includes select ingredients chosen to align with healthy routines and support individuals seeking help managing non-hunger-related snacking behaviors. Each purchase of ProZenith is covered by a 60-day refund policy, reflecting the company's customer-first return assurance framework. All ProZenith supplements are manufactured without genetically modified ingredients and adhere to U.S. quality standards. Production takes place in an FDA-registered facility that complies with current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP). ProZenith is currently available through the company's official online platform at with multiple purchase options provided for convenience. About ProZenith ProZenith develops nutritional supplements designed to support individuals on their wellness journeys. The company emphasizes high-quality manufacturing, transparency, and customer satisfaction as it continues to expand its product offerings for health-conscious consumers. For customer support inquiries, contact:support@ Disclaimer:This product has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Media Contact: Company: ProZenith Address: 19655 E 35th Dr #100, Aurora, CO 80011 Email: support@ Order Phone Support: (925) 217-7353 CONTACT: Company: ProZenith Address: 19655 E 35th Dr #100, Aurora, CO 80011 Email: support@ Order Phone Support: (925) 217-7353Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
