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Data Safety Monitoring Board Recommends Completion of Phase II Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of ARAKODA (tafenoquine) for Treatment of Mild-Moderate Covid-19 Disease

WASHINGTON, Oct. 12, 2021, 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, LLC (60P), a pharmaceutical company focused on developing new medicines for infectious diseases, announced today that a Data Safety Monitoring Board had recommended continuation of its clinical trial that is evaluating the safety and efficacy of ARAKODA (tafenoquine) for the treatment of mild-moderate COVID-19 disease in adults aged 18 years of age and older [see details of the study at: Tafenoquine in Patients With Mild to Moderate COVID-19 - Full Text View - ClinicalTrials.gov]. , half of whom will receive tafenoquine and half placebo. Clinical recovery within 14 days of treatment is being evaluated as the primary endpoint. A protocol mandated futility analysis based on efficacy was conducted by the study's Data Safety Monitoring Board, after approximately one third of subjects completed their Day 14 visit. The DSMB recommended completion of the study after conducting the analysis.

"Based on this recommendation, we are hopeful that ARAKODA (tafenoquine) may have potential to be effective in the treatment pathway for COVID-19 and look forward to the complete trial results," said Geoffrey Dow, CEO of 60P.

60P is seeking partners to complete the research, development, and, potentially, future commercialization of ARAKODA (tafenoquine) for additional indications.

ARAKODA (tafenoquine) has not been proven safe to treat or prevent COVID-19. Testing for G6PD (Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency) is mandatory before prescribing ARAKODA.

The clinical study was funded by 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals LLC and the DOD's Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense's (JPEO-CBRND) Joint Project Manager for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Medical's (JPM CBRN Medical), with the goal of fielding a safe, effective treatment against COVID-19 by repurposing the FDA-approved drug.

Tafenoquine was originally discovered by Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. The U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity (USAMMDA) and 60P first entered into a cooperative research and development agreement in 2014, to develop tafenoquine as a weekly prophylactic drug for the prevention of malaria. After becoming the first anti-malarial product in over 18 years to gain approval from the FDA, 60P made their first significant shipment of tafenoquine to the U.S. Army in 2019. ARAKODA is distributed through pharmaceutical wholesaler networks in the U.S. and is available at retail pharmacies as a prescription-only malaria prevention drug.

According to the CDC, the long terminal half-life of tafenoquine may offer potential advantages in less-frequent dosing for prophylaxis for malaria.[1] At approved doses in healthy individuals, tafenoquine does not prolong cardiac repolarization [QTC interval].[2]

[1] https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/news-announcements/tafenoquine-malaria-prophylaxis-and-treatment

[2] Green JA, Patel AK, Patel BR, Hussaini A, Harrell EJ, McDonald MJ, Carter N, Mohamed K, Duparc S, Miller AK. 2014. Tafenoquine as therapeutic concentrations does not prolong Fridericia-corrected QT interval in healthy subjects. J Clin Pharmacol 54:995-1005.

Posted: October 2021

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