A study published in Lancet Infectious Diseases compared the efficacy of tafenoquine co-administered with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine versus dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine alone for the radical cure of Plasmodium vivax malaria. The study involved Indonesian soldiers with confirmed P. vivax malaria and normal glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase levels. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine alone, dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine plus tafenoquine, or dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine plus primaquine. The primary endpoint was 6-month relapse-free efficacy. The results showed that tafenoquine combination therapy reduced the risk of relapse by 55.6% compared to dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine alone. However, the overall clinical benefit was not significant. Adverse events occurred in a significant portion of patients receiving antimalarial agents, with severe adverse events more common in the tafenoquine combination therapy groups. The study had limitations, including a narrow patient population and a lack of pharmacokinetic data. Nevertheless, the researchers concluded that these findings do not change the established favorable benefit-risk profile of tafenoquine co-administered with chloroquine for the radical cure of P. vivax malaria.

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