The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved gepotidacin (Blujepa), a new kind of oral antibiotic pill to treat uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) in females.
Uncomplicated UTIs are the most common bacterial infection in women, affecting around half of females in the UK. With drug-resistant bacteria increasing, new treatment options are critical in preventing treatment failure and complications, including sepsis or permanent kidney damage.
The active ingredient in the antibiotic targets and blocks two enzymes that bacteria need to replicate and multiply, making it effective against many drug-resistant infections such as Escherichia coli.
Julian Beach, MHRA Interim Executive Director, Healthcare Quality and Access, said: “As the first new type of oral antibiotic to treat uncomplicated UTIs to be approved in nearly three decades, gepotidacin provides a new treatment option for women facing urinary tract infections that can severely impact daily life. The antibiotic’s targeted mechanism of action makes it more difficult for bacteria to develop treatment resistance – a crucial factor as drug-resistant bacteria are increasingly on the rise globally.”