Viewpoints

Running a phase 3 trial for a new drug for gonorrhoea during the coronavirus pandemic – by Markus Heep, Esther Bettiol, Tanyaporn Wansom and Hilary Johnstone

Zoliflodacin is an oral antibiotic with a novel mode of action distinct from quinolones. The majority of uncomplicated urogenital and rectal gonococcal infections were successfully treated with oral zoliflodacin in a phase 2 study conducted in the U.S. Zoliflodacin offers many of the WHO preferred characteristics for gonorrhoea therapy, including single dose therapy, low rate of side effects, and both urogenital and extragenital site efficacy.