A groundbreaking new antibiotic has shown remarkable efficacy in treating urinary tract infections (UTIs). This innovative treatment not only promises to alleviate symptoms more rapidly than traditional medications but also combats antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria with unprecedented success.
The Food and Drug Administration recently approved the pill, gepotidacin, which will be sold under the brand name Blujepa, and is expected to be available later this year. According to CNN, Blujepa is approved to treat females over the age of 12 with uncomplicated urinary tract infections. About half of all females will have a UTI at some point during their lives, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Healthcare providers treat 8 million to 10 million people each year for UTIs.
Lately, there has been an increase in recurrent UTIs as the bacteria that cause the condition have become more resistant to current antibiotics used to treat them. Blujepa is the first novel type of antibiotic approved for the treatment of UTI’s in nearly 30 years.
More than 2.8 million antimicrobial-resistant infections occur in the U.S. each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Developing new antibiotics that attack bacteria in different ways reduces the risk of drug resistance, helping to keep treatment options open, Dr. Candace Granberg, a pediatric urologist and surgeon-in-chief at Mayo Clinic Children’s in Rochester, Minnesota, told NBC News.
UTI symptoms include a burning feeling when urinating, blood in the urine, a strong urge to urinate and urinating more often. Untreated, they can lead to complications including bladder infections and kidney damage.
“We absolutely need new antibiotics for uncomplicated UTIs,” Granberg said. Blujepa is part of a new class of antibiotics called triazaacenaphthylenes, which work by targeting two key enzymes that E. coli need to copy itself and survive. This makes it harder for the bacteria to become resistant to the drug.
“In simple terms, this new antibiotic works its magic by using a novel binding method to block a bacteria’s ability to replicate,” Granberg said. In clinical trials, the twice daily pill performed as well if not better than nitrofurantoin, the antibiotic most commonly used to treat UTIs.