The approach uses an antibody-drug conjugate made up of an antibody, a molecular linker and an antimicrobial peptide. Dr Hayley Lavender, Lecturer in Microbial Pathogenesis at the University of Liverpool, said antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea is an urgent and growing public health challenge. The therapy has not been tested in humans, and further preclinical research is needed to evaluate its safety, effectiveness and delivery. Professor Christoph Tang, Professor of Cellular Pathology at the University of Oxford, said the results are encouraging but remain preclinical. The researchers said the study demonstrates a fundamentally different approach from conventional antibiotics.