New oral drugs expand options for gonorrhoea treatment, Pg11

Key Highlights:

• The FDA approved two new oral drugs, Nuzolvence (zoliflodacin) and Blujepa (gepotidacin), for treating gonorrhoea.
• Dr. Reddy’s is seeking market authorization for one of the drugs in Thailand and South Africa, with manufacturing by Aurigene Pharmaceutical Services.
• The WHO classifies Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacteria causing gonorrhoea, as a "high priority" pathogen due to increasing antibiotic resistance.
• In 2020, the WHO estimated 82.4 million new gonorrhoea infections among adults aged 15 to 49.

Detailed Insights:

• Gonorrhoea, a sexually transmitted infection, often goes untreated due to asymptomatic cases, especially in women, potentially leading to infertility and complications.
• The rise in gonorrhoea cases is attributed to decreased condom use due to the availability of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention, which doesn't protect against other STIs.
• Nuzolvence (zoliflodacin), developed with the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP), will initially be available in Thailand and South Africa.
• GARDP aims to ensure easy access to the new drugs through partnerships with governments and other stakeholders, promoting responsible use to delay resistance.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Gonorrhoea: A common sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
• Antibiotic Resistance: The ability of bacteria to withstand the effects of antibiotics, making infections harder to treat.
• Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP): Medication taken to prevent HIV infection, but does not protect against other STIs.