Early findings offer hope for hard‑to‑treat relapsing babesiosis

A new update from 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals highlights encouraging progress for patients facing relapsing babesiosis, a serious tick‑borne infection that can be especially dangerous for people with weakened immune systems.

The company announced that all three patients enrolled so far in its ongoing study were cured, including individuals who previously did not respond to standard therapies.

The treatment regimen included tafenoquine, an antimalarial drug approved in the U.S. for malaria prevention under the brand name ARAKODA®, combined with atovaquone and other antimicrobial medications.

This expanded‑access study builds on findings from a 2024 Yale School of Public Health report, which also documented successful outcomes when tafenoquine was added to existing treatment regimens.

When the Yale and 60 Degrees data are combined, seven out of seven immunosuppressed patients with relapsing babesiosis achieved cure when weekly tafenoquine was continued until two consecutive PCR tests showed no detectable Babesia parasites.

Babesiosis is an emerging tick‑borne illness that can cause fever, chills, sweats, fatigue, and in severe cases, life‑threatening complications. Rates of infection are rising, and there are currently no FDA‑approved treatments or vaccines for the disease.

Tafenoquine itself is not approved for treating babesiosis. However, these early results suggest that adding tafenoquine to existing therapies may offer a promising option for patients who relapse despite standard care—particularly those who are immunosuppressed.

Because relapsing babesiosis is difficult to treat, the company believes these findings may help inform future updates to treatment guidelines.

As research continues, these results offer a hopeful sign for patients dealing with one of the most challenging forms of tick‑borne disease.

SOURCE: 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals

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