WASHINGTON /PRNewswire/ -- 60
Degrees Pharmaceuticals, (60P), a
company focused on development of
therapeutics for tropical diseases, and Singapore
General Hospital (SGH) announced today that the Hospital has
received a grant from Singapore's National Medical Research Council
to support a Phase II clinical trial among dengue fever
patients.
Dengue fever, a
painful, debilitating and potentially deadly mosquito-borne viral
disease, infects an estimated 400 million people worldwide each
year, causing 500,000 hospitalizations and creating
a $12 billion annual burden. Instances of
dengue, which cause flu-like symptoms and can develop into lethal
severe dengue, have increased 30 fold over the past few
decades.
Once believed to
be only a "tropical" disease, there have been outbreaks in southern
U.S. including Florida, as well as in France, Portugal and other European countries, which
experts believe may expand in North Americaand Europe. In addition, scientists have discovered a
type of dengue-carrying mosquito which can live in colder climates,
meaning cases of dengue observed in the U.S. and Europe may increase substantially.
There are
currently no FDA-approved vaccines or antiviral drugs for dengue
virus infection and treatment has been limited to supportive and
symptomatic treatment.
60P and SGH will
evaluate the safety and effectiveness of an antiviral, Celgosivir,
and a disease- modifying agent, Modipafant, in the treatment of
dengue. Earlier animal studies suggest these drugs could
prove effective in dengue fever patients. SGH and Duke-NUS Graduate
Medical School previously evaluated the efficacy of Celgosivir in
dengue patients, establishing its safety.
60P and SGH have
received approval from the relevant authority in Singapore and Institutional Review Board for
the study, which is scheduled to start March
2016.
About 60
Degrees Pharmaceuticals
60
Degrees Pharmaceuticals, a privately-held company founded in
2010 with a mission to develop small molecule therapeutics for
tropical diseases, is focused on development of products with dual
use application in the travel medicine market and tropical
countries. The company's development portfolio includes three
repositioned dengue therapeutics and an antimalarial drug that has
completed Phase III trials.
After executing
an exclusive option deal and research agreement with the United
States Army in 2014, 60P is preparing for the commercial launch of
Tafenoquine for traveler's malaria prophylaxis. Due to its unique
mode of action, Tafenoquine also has potential utility for
community prophylaxis in malaria-endemic countries in combination
with existing control measures. 60P's mission is supported through
substantial in kind funding from the United States Department of
Defense and other agencies of the U.S. government.
60
Degrees Pharmaceuticals is headquartered in Washington DC, with a subsidiary in
Australia.
Further
information is available on the Company's website, www.60degreespharma.com.
For Further Information
Contact:
Roseann Rosetta, Director, Account
Management
Integrated Marketing Services
[email protected]
609-683-9055 x247
Goeff Dow, CEO, 60
Degrees Pharmaceuticals
[email protected]