Sixty Degrees Pharmaceuticals Partners with Yale to Advance Tafenoquine for Babesiosis Treatment
April 10, 2025
Sixty Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: SXTP) has taken a significant step forward in combating babesiosis, a tick-borne disease on the rise in the U.S., by signing a patent license agreement with Yale School of Medicine and Yale School of Public Health. Announced on April 8, 2025, this collaboration aims to develop and commercialize tafenoquine, a drug already approved for malaria prevention, as a potential treatment and prophylaxis for babesiosis.
A Growing Health Concern
Babesiosis, caused by microscopic parasites of the Babesia genus, is transmitted through the bite of the black-legged (deer) tick—the same vector responsible for Lyme disease. The disease is particularly severe in the elderly and immunocompromised, with relapsing cases carrying an estimated 20% mortality rate. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cases have been steadily increasing, especially in the Northeast U.S., highlighting the urgent need for effective therapies.
Tafenoquine: A Promising Candidate
Tafenoquine, marketed as ARAKODA® for malaria prophylaxis, has shown early promise against babesiosis. While not yet approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this indication, the drug’s potential stems from its established safety profile and ongoing research. This new agreement builds on collaborative studies between Sixty Degrees and Yale researchers, who have been exploring tafenoquine’s activity against Babesia parasites.
“This partnership reflects our confidence in tafenoquine as a next-generation therapeutic,” said Geoff Dow, PhD, CEO of Sixty Degrees Pharmaceuticals. “If approved, it could address a critical gap in treatment options and potentially become the first prophylaxis for babesiosis.”
Collaboration with Yale
The agreement grants shared intellectual property rights to Sixty Degrees and Yale, with the pharmaceutical company leading the charge on development and commercialization. Yale’s involvement brings significant expertise to the table, with Dr. Peter James Krause, a senior research scientist at Yale, emphasizing the need for new antimicrobials. “Relapsing babesiosis is notoriously difficult to treat,” Krause noted, underscoring the stakes for vulnerable patients.
For more details on the announcement, check out the official press release on GlobeNewswire.
Ongoing Clinical Trials
Sixty Degrees is already sponsoring a clinical trial (NCT06207370) to evaluate tafenoquine’s efficacy and safety in treating severe babesiosis. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study is enrolling patients at multiple U.S. sites, including Yale University, Tufts Medical Center, Rhode Island Hospital, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. The trial measures time to symptom resolution and molecular cure, with interim results expected by September 2025. Learn more about the study on ClinicalTrials.gov.
What’s Next?
The partnership with Yale marks a pivotal moment for Sixty Degrees Pharmaceuticals as it seeks to expand tafenoquine’s applications beyond malaria. With babesiosis cases climbing and treatment options limited, this collaboration could pave the way for a breakthrough. Industry insights from Pharmaceutical Technology suggest that success here could position tafenoquine as a game-changer in infectious disease management.
Stay tuned for updates as this promising development unfolds.
