30 July 2026

For decades, the global pipeline for developing new antibiotics has worked in reverse – prioritising the countries least affected by bacterial infections, while leaving those with the greatest need waiting.

That is why the licencing in Thailand of zoliflodacin – a new antibiotic for gonorrhoea – matters so much. Coming just six months after its initial authorisation in the US, it marks a significant break from a long-entrenched tradition and is a big step forward for global health.

Multi-drug resistant gonorrhoea –- often called super-gonorrhoea –- first emerged in Asia but has since spread to Europe, with the UK reporting one of the most dangerous cases in 2018. The early licencing of a drug to tackle it in Asia will hopefully be felt all around the world.