60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals Announces Early Enrollment of First Seasonal Patient in Clinical Trial of Tafenoquine for Patients Hospitalized with Babesiosis
Rhea-AI Summary
60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:SXTP) reported early enrollment of the first 2026 tick-season patient in its randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of tafenoquine for hospitalized babesiosis. Enrollment is about one month ahead of schedule, with at least 24 patients targeted before an interim analysis.
The study at five Northeastern U.S. sites has two main endpoints: clinical symptom resolution and parasite clearance, each with separate interim analyses. Minimum enrollment for interim review could be reached by early July 2026. Tafenoquine is FDA-approved for malaria prophylaxis but not for babesiosis.
Positive
- Enrollment running about one month ahead of 2026 tick-season schedule
- Minimum 24-patient enrollment for interim analysis targeted by early July 2026
- Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design across five Northeastern U.S. sites
- Separate interim analyses planned for symptom resolution and parasite clearance
- Tafenoquine already FDA-approved for malaria prophylaxis as ARAKODA
Negative
- Tafenoquine not proven effective or FDA-approved for babesiosis treatment or prevention
News Market Reaction – SXTP
In the May 26 session, SXTP gained 1.35%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction. Argus tracked a trough of -17.1% from its starting point during tracking. Our momentum scanner triggered 2 alerts that day, indicating moderate trading interest and price volatility. Trading volume was elevated at 2.6x the daily average, suggesting notable buying interest.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Previous Clinical trial Reports
| Date | Event | Sentiment | 24h Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 11 | Expanded-use results | Positive | +71.3% | Reported all three expanded‑use tafenoquine patients with relapsing babesiosis were cured. |
| Oct 09 | Trial naming update | Positive | +5.5% | Unveiled B-FREE Chronic Babesiosis Study name and described 90-day ARAKODA regimen design. |
| Aug 19 | Site selection | Positive | -1.5% | Selected Icahn School of Medicine as central Phase II site for chronic babesiosis study. |
| Jan 28 | IRB approval | Positive | -11.0% | Received IRB approval for Phase II study evaluating ARAKODA (tafenoquine) in chronic babesiosis. |
| Jan 08 | Enrollment start | Positive | -22.1% | Initiated enrollment in tafenoquine expanded access study for persistent babesiosis patients. |
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
Clinical trial updates have generally been positive, but price reactions were mixed: two strong/positive moves and three selloffs despite constructive babesiosis data.
Over the past year, SXTP has issued multiple tafenoquine clinical updates for babesiosis. Events on Jan 8, 2025, Jan 28, 2025, Aug 19, 2025, Oct 9, 2025, and Mar 11, 2026 covered IRB approval, site selection, trial naming, and expanded‑use results. Reactions ranged from a 71.28% spike to declines over 11%, showing that similar clinical headlines have produced inconsistent trading outcomes.
Key Terms
randomized medical
double-blind medical
placebo-controlled medical
babesiosis medical
parasite clearance medical
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regulatory
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory
malaria prophylaxis medical
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
- Enrollment is tracking ahead of schedule, allowing potential acceleration of key trial milestones
- Minimum enrollment to support interim analysis expected as soon as early July 2026
- Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial is evaluating the efficacy and safety of tafenoquine in treating humans hospitalized with babesiosis at five clinical sites in northeastern U.S.
WASHINGTON, May 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: SXTP; SXTPW) (the “Company” or 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals), a pharmaceutical company focused on developing new medicines for vector-borne disease, announced that the first patient of the 2026 tick season has been enrolled in the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial (NCT06207370) to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tafenoquine in treating babesiosis in humans.
The study, which will enroll at least 24 patients prior to an interim analysis, is being conducted at five clinical sites in the Northeastern United States. The two main endpoints of the trial (clinical symptom resolution and parasite clearance) will be subject to separate interim analyses as data become available.
This patient enrollment puts the Company approximately one month ahead of schedule in recruiting trial participants for the 2026 tick season, suggesting that minimum enrollment in the study could be achieved as soon as early July. Approximately 50 days following enrollment completion, the Company intends to announce the planned date of the interim analyses of study data.
Babesiosis is a tick-borne illness caused by Babesia parasites that develop and multiply in red blood cells. It is often found as a co-infection of Lyme disease. Symptoms include fevers, chills, sweats, and fatigue. In severe cases, babesiosis can be life-threatening in elderly and immunosuppressed patients. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has advised that emergency room visits for tick bites are currently at historically high levels in many regions of the U.S.
Tafenoquine is approved for malaria prophylaxis in the United States under the product name ARAKODA®. Tafenoquine has not been proven to be effective for treatment or prevention of babesiosis and is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for such an indication.
About the Tafenoquine in Acute Cases of Babesiosis Study
NCT06207370 is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolling patients in multiple sites in the Northeast U.S. comparing the safety and efficacy of tafenoquine versus placebo in patients hospitalized for babesiosis and receiving atovaquone/azithromycin. The two main study endpoints are: Time to sustained clinical resolution of symptoms of babesiosis, and molecular cure as determined using a commercially available PCR assay. At least 24 patients will be recruited before an interim analysis is conducted. The interim analysis will include a test of significance and a size re-estimation to allow additional recruitment if required, with the two main study endpoints being subjected to separate interim analyses. The study is being conducted at five hospitals in the northeastern United States.
About ARAKODA® (tafenoquine)
Tafenoquine was discovered by Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. Tafenoquine was approved for malaria prophylaxis in 2018 in the United States as ARAKODA® and in Australia as KODATEF®. Both were commercially launched in 2019 and are currently distributed through pharmaceutical wholesaler networks in each respective country. They are available at retail pharmacies as a prescription-only malaria prevention drug. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the long terminal half-life of tafenoquine, which is approximately 16 days, may offer potential advantages in less-frequent dosing for prophylaxis for malaria. ARAKODA is not suitable for everyone, and patients and prescribers should review the Important Safety Information below. Individuals at risk of contracting malaria are prescribed ARAKODA 2 x 100 mg tablets once per day for three days (the loading phase) prior to travel to an area of the world where malaria is endemic, 2 x 100 mg tablets weekly for up to six months during travel, then 2 x 100 mg in the week following travel.
ARAKODA® (tafenoquine) Important Safety Information
ARAKODA® is an antimalarial indicated for the prophylaxis of malaria in patients aged 18 years of age and older.
Contraindications
ARAKODA® should not be administered to:
- Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (“G6PD”) deficiency or unknown G6PD status;
- Breastfeeding by a lactating woman when the infant is found to be G6PD deficient or if
- G6PD status is unknown;
- Patients with a history of psychotic disorders or current psychotic symptoms; or
- Known hypersensitivity reactions to tafenoquine, other 8-aminoquinolines, or any component of ARAKODA®.
Warnings and Precautions
Hemolytic Anemia: G6PD testing must be performed before prescribing ARAKODA® due to the risk of hemolytic anemia. Monitor patients for signs or symptoms of hemolysis.
G6PD Deficiency in Pregnancy or Lactation: ARAKODA® may cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman with a G6PD-deficient fetus. ARAKODA® is not recommended during pregnancy. A G6PD-deficient infant may be at risk for hemolytic anemia from exposure to ARAKODA® through breast milk. Check infant’s G6PD status before breastfeeding begins.
Methemoglobinemia: Asymptomatic elevations in blood methemoglobin have been observed. Initiate appropriate therapy if signs or symptoms of methemoglobinemia occur.
Psychiatric Effects: Serious psychotic adverse reactions have been observed in patients with a history of psychosis or schizophrenia, at doses different from the approved dose. If psychotic symptoms (hallucinations, delusions, or grossly disorganized thinking or behavior) occur, consider discontinuation of ARAKODA® therapy and evaluation by a mental health professional as soon as possible.
Hypersensitivity Reactions: Serious hypersensitivity reactions have been observed with administration of ARAKODA®. If hypersensitivity reactions occur, institute appropriate therapy.
Delayed Adverse Reactions: Due to the long half-life of ARAKODA® (approximately 17 days), psychiatric effects, hemolytic anemia, methemoglobinemia, and hypersensitivity reactions may be delayed in onset and/or duration.
Adverse Reactions: The most common adverse reactions (incidence greater than or equal to 1 percent) were: headache, dizziness, back pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, increased alanine aminotransferase, motion sickness, insomnia, depression, abnormal dreams, and anxiety.
Drug Interactions
Avoid co-administration with drugs that are substrates of organic cation transporter-2 or multidrug and toxin extrusion transporters.
Use in Specific Populations
Lactation: Advise women not to breastfeed a G6PD-deficient infant or infant with unknown G6PD status during treatment and for 3 months after the last dose of ARAKODA®.
To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc. at 1- 888-834-0225 or the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. The full prescribing information of ARAKODA® is located here.
About 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc., founded in 2010, specializes in developing and commercializing new medicines for the treatment and prevention of vector-borne disease. The Company achieved U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of its lead product, ARAKODA® (tafenoquine), for malaria prevention, in 2018. ARAKODA is commercially available in the U.S. and Australia. 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc. also collaborates with prominent research and academic organizations in the U.S. and Australia. 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with a subsidiary in Australia. Learn more at www.60degreespharma.com.
The statements contained herein may include prospects, statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements that are based on management’s current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results, performance or events may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements reflect the current view about future events. When used in this press release, the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “future,” “intend,” “plan,” or the negative of these terms and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management, identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy, activities of regulators and future regulations and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: there is substantial doubt as to our ability to continue on a going-concern basis; we might not be eligible for Australian government research and development tax rebates; if we are not able to successfully develop, obtain FDA approval for, and provide for the commercialization of non-malaria prevention indications for tafenoquine (ARAKODA® or other regimen) or Australian Chestnut Extract in a timely manner, we may not be able to expand our business operations; we may not be able to successfully conduct planned clinical trials or patient recruitment in our trials might be slow or negligible; and we have no manufacturing capacity which puts us at risk of lengthy and costly delays of bringing our products to market. More detailed information about the Company and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward-looking statements is set forth in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including the information contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 30, 2026, and our subsequent SEC filings. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. As a result of these matters, changes in facts, assumptions not being realized or other circumstances, the Company’s actual results may differ materially from the expected results discussed in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this press release is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
Media Contact
Sheila A. Burke
SheilaBurke-consultant@60degreespharma.com
(484) 667-6330
Investor Contact
Patrick Gaynes
patrickgaynes@60degreespharma
