WASHINGTON - 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: SXTP; SXTPW) has announced plans to sponsor animal studies evaluating the efficacy of tafenoquine against Candida auris (C. auris), a dangerous, drug-resistant fungal pathogen. The studies, to be conducted by Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, are scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2024, with results expected by the end of the year.
C. auris has emerged as a significant global health threat, particularly in hospital settings, with a mortality rate exceeding 30%. The CDC has reported a sharp increase in U.S. cases, from fewer than 500 in 2019 to nearly 1,500 in 2023. The pathogen's resistance to multiple antifungal drugs has heightened the urgency for new treatments.
Tafenoquine, an anti-malarial drug approved by the FDA in 2018 for malaria prophylaxis in adults, is theorized to combat fungi by disrupting their cellular responses to oxidative stress. This potential mode of action differs from current antifungal treatments.
Geoff Dow, CEO and President of 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, expressed optimism about the study's potential to offer insights into tafenoquine's use against C. auris. Professor Anton Peleg, the principal investigator from Monash University, highlighted the pressing need for new treatments given the rising resistance to existing therapies.
The journal New Microbes and New Infections recently published findings indicating tafenoquine's broad-spectrum antifungal activity against Candida species, including C. auris, in non-clinical in vitro studies funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).
60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, specializing in infectious disease treatments, achieved FDA approval for its leading product, ARAKODA® (tafenoquine), in 2018. The company continues to collaborate with research organizations globally. However, neither ARAKODA® nor tafenoquine has FDA approval for the treatment or prevention of fungal infections.
This effort reflects the company's ongoing commitment to addressing infectious diseases, with the current focus on a potential new application for an existing drug. The information in this article is based on a press release statement from 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals.
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