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The MHRA has approved the first new antibiotic for urinary tract infections in almost 30 years.

Gepotidacin, which is marketed as Blujepa, is indicated to treat uncomplicated UTIs in females aged 12 or older who weigh at least 40kg. 

Randomised trial including over 3,000 participants found that the twice-daily pill was at least as effective as nitrofurantoin, the frontline antibiotic for uncomplicated UTIs.

"With drug-resistant bacteria increasing, new treatment options are critical in preventing treatment failure and complications, including sepsis or permanent kidney damage," said the MHRA. 

"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 E. coli."

The MHRA's Julian Beach commented: "Keeping patients safe and enabling their access to high quality, safe and effective medicines are key priorities for us. 

"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."