The FDA
approved tafenoquine (Krintafel, GSK) for the
"radical cure" of Plasmodium vivax
malaria in patients, ages ≥16 years, who are receiving anti-malarial therapy
for acute infection, the manufacturer
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced.
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| Life Cycle of P. Vivax |
At present, Primaquine is the only FDA approved drug prescribed
for 14 days for the radical cure of Vivax Malaria. Tafenoquine 300 will be a single
dose therapy for patients over 16 years.
The newly approved drug is contraindicated for patients who
are allergic to tafenoquine or other 8-aminoquinoline-containing agents, as
well as for those who are glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficient.
Patients should be tested if their status is unknown.
