60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals to Sponsor Pilot Study of Tafenoquine for Treatment of Canine Babesiosis
03 April 2024 - 10:58PM
60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: SXTP; SXTPW) (or the
“Company”), a pharmaceutical company focused on developing new
medicines for infectious diseases, announced today that the Company
will sponsor a pilot study of
tafenoquine, the
active molecule in its U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA)-approved human malaria prevention medication, ARAKODA®, for
the treatment of babesiosis in dogs. The study will support a
broader effort now being led by 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals to
evaluate
tafenoquine for various babesiosis
indications.
Tafenoquine has not been proven to be effective
for treatment or prevention of canine babesiosis and is not
approved by the FDA for such an indication.
About the Tafenoquine for Canine Babesiosis Pilot
StudyThe study will involve an evaluation of a three-day
loading dose followed by weekly dosing for a month in dogs
recruited in veterinary clinics across the United States. The study
has been approved by an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
(IACUC) ethics committee. No dogs will be harmed in this study.
Efficacy will be monitored via episodic PCR testing, and results
are expected in 12 months. The pilot study of
tafenoquine for treatment of canine babesiosis
will be conducted by North Carolina State University this year.
About Canine BabesiosisCanine babesiosis,
caused by the protozoan, Babesia, is an emerging infection of dogs.
Several thousand dogs may be treated each year in the U.S. This
emergence may be related to increasing ticks (range expansion and
abundance) and dog importation. Specific breeds (i.e. some members
of the Terrier group, Greyhounds) are at increased risk of
infection. Dogs can have subclinical disease (i.e. no clinical
signs) or illness that ranges from mild (e.g. lethargy, reduced
appetite) to severe (e.g. pallor and weakness related to anemia).
Severe disease can result in death. Infection is spread through
tick bites and exposure to infected dog blood. Infected dogs, even
those without clinical signs, can spread the infection to other
dogs, particularly in kennels.
About ARAKODA®
(tafenoquine)Tafenoquine was
discovered by Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and
the current study was funded by the United States
Army Medical & Materiel Development
Activity. 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 for humans.
Disclaimer & Cautionary Note Regarding
Forward-Looking Statements The statements made about
our tafenoquine-babesiosis clinical trial in this
press release are based on both written correspondence from the FDA
ahead of the Company’s Type C meeting on January 17, 2024, and the
Company’s minutes from the meeting. The Company has been advised,
but cannot guarantee, it will receive FDA comments by April 30,
2024. Any information released by us about the protocol on
clinicaltrials.gov, our website or elsewhere should be considered
out of date as of the date of this press release. The Company has
not yet rewritten its clinical protocol in light of FDA comments
and there is no guarantee it will receive Institutional Review
Board or FDA approval of the protocol when resubmitted. The
protocol will be resubmitted under our malaria Investigational New
Drug Application, and is not subject to the minimum 30-day holding
period required for a new Investigational New Drug Application.
However, the FDA can at its discretion require changes to protocols
at any time.
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 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 Celgosivir 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; 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 the
final prospectus to our Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File
No. 333-269483), as amended, initially filed with the SEC on
January 31, 2023 relating to our initial public offering, and our
subsequent SEC filings. Investors and security holders are urged to
read these documents free of charge on the SEC’s web site
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.
BurkeSheilaBurke-consultant@60degreespharma.com(484) 667-6330
Investor Contact:Patrick
Gaynespatrickgaynes@60degreespharma.com(310) 989-5666
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