THE US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved GSK's Blujepa (gepotidacin) and Innoviva's Nuzolvence (zoliflodacin) for the treatment of uncomplicated urogenital gonorrhoea in adults and adolescents, the first drugs from new antibiotic classes to be approved for the disease in over three decades.
As gonorrhoea becomes increasingly challenging to treat due the spread of antimicrobial resistance to many antibiotics previously used as first-line therapies, the approvals have been welcomed by health experts worldwide.
GSK has submitted Blujepa for Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approval.
The news comes as a self-test kit for chlamydia and gonorrhoea developed by Sydney-based Touch Biotechnology hits pharmacy shelves in Australia, having been approved by the TGA last month.
The first of its kind in Australia, the highly accurate test detects chlamydia and gonorrhoea with one swab sample, collected in privacy at home, producing a positive or negative result for both infections in 15 minutes.
"It marks significant progress in improving the options for female sexual health in Australia, hopefully reducing the number of infections that go undiagnosed and enabling more people to receive appropriate and timely treatment for infection that prevents further health complications," said CEO of Touch Biotechnology, Matt Salihi.
"While this self-test can aid early detection, comprehensive STI screening and follow-up care are best managed in consultation with a healthcare provider," he added.
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