Last reviewed 2026-04-23 · How we verify

Tafenoquine Oral Tablet

Tafenoquine is an antimalarial drug that works by targeting the Plasmodium parasite's heme detoxification pathway.

Tafenoquine is an antimalarial drug that works by targeting the Plasmodium parasite's heme detoxification pathway. Used for Treatment of malaria.

At a glance

Mechanism of action

Tafenoquine is a 8-aminoquinoline that accumulates in the food vacuole of the Plasmodium parasite, where it inhibits the enzyme dihydroorotate dehydrogenase, disrupting the parasite's heme detoxification pathway and ultimately leading to the parasite's death.

Approved indications

• Treatment of malaria

Common side effects

• Hemolysis
• Neurological effects

Key clinical trials

• Pharmacokinetic (PK) Study of Tafenoquine in Healthy Adults (EARLY_PHASE1)
• Postpartum 8-aminoquinoline Breast Milk Study (PHASE2, PHASE3)
• Expanded Use in Persistent (B. Microti) Babesiosis
• B-FREE Chronic Babesiosis Study (PHASE2)
• Oral Tafenoquine Plus Standard of Care Versus Placebo Plus Standard of Care for Babesiosis (PHASE2)
• Radical CUREfor MAlaria Among Highly Mobile and Hard-to-reach Populations in the Guyanese Shield (NA)
• ACT vs CQ With Tafenoquine for P. Vivax Mono-infection (PHASE4)
• Tafenoquine in Patients With Mild to Moderate COVID-19 (PHASE2)

Primary sources

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Competitive intelligence

For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:

• Tafenoquine Oral Tablet CI brief — competitive landscape report
• Tafenoquine Oral Tablet updates RSS · CI watch RSS
• State University of New York - Upstate Medical University portfolio CI