by Alirol E, Wi TE, Bala M, Bazzo ML, Chen XS, Deal C, Dillon J-A, Kularatne R, Heim J, Hooft van Huijsduijnen R, Hook EW, Lahra M, Lewis DA, Ndowa F, Shafer WM, Tayler L, Workowski K, Unemo M,Balasegaram M.PLOS Medicine,July 2017, doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002366.

Summary:The choice of antimicrobials to treat a rising number of gonorrhea cases is very limited. Resistance has been reported to extended-spectrum cephalosporins, the mainstay of currently recommended treatment, and there are only 3 new chemical entities in the pipeline. GARDP has worked with experts from different regions to draft “ideal” and “acceptable” Target Product Profiles for the treatment of gonorrhea. GARDP has developed a 7-year plan to meet the urgent need for new drugs to treat gonorrhea, which includes exploring the introduction of a new clinical entity; the identification of existing, suitable partner drugs; the recovery of previously abandoned, out-of-favor, and withdrawn antibiotics; and the development of simplified treatment guidelines for the empiric management of sexually transmitted infections.