The Lancet Global Health publishes groundbreaking results from the Tafenoquine Roll-out STudy (TRuST) in the Brazilian Amazon

The results of the Tafenoquine Roll-out STudy (TRuST) in the Brazilian Amazon have been published today in the Lancet Global Health, providing encouraging real-world evidence on the operational feasibility of introducing single-dose tafenoquine, in combination with chloroquine, alongside quantitative, point-of-care glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) testing for Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax) radical cure.

Between 9th September 2021 and 31st August 2022 over 6,000 patients in 43 health facilities across Manaus and Porto Velho in the Brazilian Amazon were enrolled in the non-interventional, observational study. A total of 2,685 of these patients were administered tafenoquine. G6PD status was identified for all patients treated with tafenoquine, and the study’s primary objective – the percentage of patients appropriately treated or not treated with tafenoquine in accordance with their G6PD status – was achieved for 99.7% of patients.

The study, sponsored by the Brazilian Ministry of Health (MoH) and MMV was led by Dr. Marcus Lacerda from Fundação de Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD) and Dr. Dhelio Pereira of the Centro de Pesquisa em Medicina Tropical de Rondônia (CEPEM).

‘Today we have shown that introducing tafenoquine with G6PD testing is operationally feasible in the most hard-to-reach, remote corners of the Brazilian health system,’ said Marcus Lacerda.

‘We are absolutely thrilled by these findings,’ said Elodie Jambert, Senior Director at MMV. ‘Single-dose tafenoquine represents a critical new tool for countries striving to eliminate P. vivax malaria. As a single-dose it eliminates patient adherence challenges commonly observed with a 7- or 14-day course of primaquine treatment, the standard of care that has been recommended for over 70 years.'

Based on the experience of this piloted introduction of tafenoquine and G6PD testing in the Brazilian Health system, the country is the first in the world preparing to roll out the new treatment option nationwide within the public health system.

The full article is available to read on the Lancet Global Health’s open access website.