Malaria-Fighting drug given to entire villages shows promise

NCT ID NCT06575647

Completed Disease control Sponsor: Shoklo Malaria Research Unit Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tested giving a single dose of the drug tafenoquine to everyone in three villages in Myanmar to see if it could safely stop the spread of P. vivax malaria. Over 1,200 people took part, and researchers tracked side effects and malaria cases for six months. The goal was to see if this approach could prevent malaria from coming back after regular control programs were disrupted.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Tafenoquine (a single-dose malaria drug)
What this could lead to: If successful, this approach could help eliminate malaria in hard-to-reach areas by stopping the parasite from spreading.
What could go wrong: This is a completed Phase 4 study focused on safety and feasibility, not proof of long-term elimination. Political and logistical challenges in the region may limit broader use.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

malaria Plasmodium vivax malaria

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

MALARIA MALARIA VIVAX PLASMODIUM VIVAX PLASMODIUM VIVAX MALARIA

Contacts and locations

Locations

Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU)

Mae Sot, Changwat Tak, Thailand

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