60 Degree Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (SXTP) announced that all three patients enrolled in its expanded use clinical trial of Tafenoquine were cured of relapsing babesiosis, underscoring the drug's potential as a breakthrough therapy for this serious tick-borne illness.
Babesiosis is a debilitating infection caused by parasites that attack red blood cells, often co-occurring with Lyme disease. Symptoms include fever, chills, sweats, and fatigue, and the condition can be life-threatening in elderly or immunosuppressed patients. Current treatments frequently fail in relapsing cases, and no FDA-approved therapy exists.
The company's open-label, multi-site study evaluated Tafenoquine, marketed as ARAKODA for malaria prevention in combination with Atovaquone and other antimalarials/antibiotics to patients who had previously failed standard regimens.
Cure was defined by two consecutive negative PCR tests and resolution of symptoms, confirmed by highly sensitive RNA amplification assays. All three patients achieved sustained clearance of the parasite, consistent with Yale's earlier report of a 100% cure rate in similar cases.
Collectively, data from seven patients across Yale's study and 60 Degrees' trial suggest that adding weekly Tafenoquine to Atovaquone-based therapy can achieve near-complete cure rates in relapsing babesiosis among immunosuppressed individuals. The company has called for treatment guidelines to be reviewed in light of these findings.
Tafenoquine is currently FDA approved only for malaria prophylaxis in the United States under the product name ARAKODA, but 60 Degrees is pursuing additional indications in vector-borne diseases.
During Q3 2025, ARAKODA generated a net product revenue of $438 thousand, a sharp increase of 223% compared with $135 thousand in Q3 2024.
The company also announced a 1-for-4 reverse stock split effective January 19, 2026.
SXTP closed Wednesday's trading session at $3.22, up 72.19%. In pre-market trading, the stock fell to $2.96, down 8.07%.
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