Breakthrough as scientists find new antibiotic for STI 'superbug' on the rise in England Scientists have found a potential antibiotic for drug-resistant gonorrhoea as cases rise Cases of a sexually transmitted 'superbug' are on the rise in England (Image: PA ) Scientists have found the first new antibiotic treatment for gonorrhoea since the 1990s after fears the surge in drug-resistance bacteria could make the sexually transmitted infection "untreatable". Gonorrhoea is an infection passed on through unprotected sex. It often doesn't cause symptoms, but can cause "serious problems", such as infertility if not treated. ‌ Article continues below The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warned in March official figures show that, between January 2024 to March 2025, there were a concerning 17 cases of gonorrhoea cases resistant to the antibiotics, with four cases reported in 2025 so far. Across 2022 and 2023, this figure was 16. It even said there have been nine cases of "extensively drug resistant" gonorrhoea across 2024 and 2025 that do not respond to either the first-line antibiotic, called ceftriaxone, or the second line of treatment. A gonorrhoea infection is caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Image: Getty Images ) ‌ Now, experts have discovered that an antibiotic currently used to treat urinary tract infections (UTIs) can also treat gonorrhoea. A new study found that the antibiotic pill could potentially help to alleviate the threat of drug-resistant gonorrhoea infections. The research compared gepotidacin with the current standard treatment for "uncomplicated" gonorrhoea in 628 patients and found that the new pill is as effective as ceftriaxone with azithromycin for treating the infection. It was also found to be able to treat strains of the infection that were resistant to current first-line treatments. ‌ The authors said that "gepotidacin demonstrated non-inferiority to ceftriaxone plus azithromycin" which offers a "novel oral treatment option for uncomplicated urogenital gonorrhoea". "Gepotidacin is a novel oral antibacterial treatment with the potential to become an alternative option for the treatment of gonococcal infections," they wrote. Experts warn the STI could soon become 'untreatable' (Image: Getty Images ) ‌ Ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea was first detected in England in 2015 and 42 cases have since been reported, meaning the bacteria that causes the infection has developed the ability to survive and multiply even when exposed to the antibiotic. Most cases have been linked to the Asia-Pacific region, where this antibiotic resistance is common, according to the UKHSA. The UKHSA also said that there were about 54,965 gonorrhoea diagnoses at sexual health services in the first nine months of 2024 compared to more than 85,000 in the whole of 2023. ‌ Dr Katy Sinka, consultant epidemiologist and head of the STI section at UKHSA, said in March: "Gonorrhoea is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, which could make it untreatable in future. "If left untreated, it can cause serious problems like pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility." Scientists have revealed that an antibiotic used to treat UTIs could treat drug-resistant gonorrhoea (Image: PA ) ‌ According to the NHS, symptoms of gonorrhoea include green or yellow discharge from the vagina or penis, pain when urinating, pain and discomfort in the rectum. For women, symptoms can include lower abdominal pain or bleeding between periods. For men, the infection can cause burning when you pee and sore testicles. Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacteria that causes gonorrhoea, was listed on the UKHSA’s "priority pathogen" watch list that identified the most dangerous pathogens that pose the biggest threat to public health. Article continues below The study was published in The Lancet and presented at the ESCMID conference.