Gonorrhea Shot Gets FDA Fast Track as Resistant Cases Multiply

  • Rising drug resistance fuels calls for preventive, experts say
  • Doctors mainly rely on one antibiotic that’s under threat

GSK Plc headquarters in London.

Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg
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GSK Plc’s experimental gonorrhea vaccine got fast-track designation from US regulators, putting the shot in position to become the first preventive for a common, often-undetected infection that’s gaining resistance to treatment.

The Food and Drug Administration status makes the drug eligible for a sped-up approval process, if an ongoing mid-stage trial shows it’s effective, the company said Tuesday. GSK learned of its status in April and plans to move the vaccine to final-stage testing in 2026, said Giulia Giordano, vaccine development leader for the project.