60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals Exercises License Option with Florida State University for Large-Scale Purification of Castanospermine for Non-Rx Use

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:SXTP, SXTPW)) ("60 Degrees Pharma" or the "Company"), a pharmaceutical company focused on developing new medicines for vector-borne disease, today announced it has exercised the option in its agreement with Florida State University (FSU) to negotiate an exclusive license to use large-scale purification techniques to extract castanospermine from the seeds of Castanospermum australe (commonly known as the Australian Chestnut, the Moreton Bay Chestnut, and the Black Bean Tree).

Castanospermum australe grows primarily in the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales, but also in Florida, Hawaii, and California. The processed seeds of Castanospermum australe have historically been a traditional food source in Australia for thousands of years.



According to recent scientific literature, at low doses, castanospermine modulates carbohydrate metabolism, altering glycogen, glucose levels, and other clinical markers. In animal models, high doses have been shown to impact disease outcomes in several therapeutic areas, through immunomodulation.

Castanospermine is also a metabolite of celgosivir, a product that has been evaluated in clinical trials in more than 500 patients against HIV and Hepatitis C. Although celgosivir is no longer in commercial development for those indications, that study history suggests castanospermine is safe at achievable doses in humans and is active against the same pharmacological targets as in animal studies.

Since signing its option agreement with FSU in April 2025, the Company has subjected Australian Chestnut Extract to safety testing to ensure compliance with relevant regulatory guidance and has developed and tested various prototype capsule formulations for oral delivery. The Company is now ready to commence a regulatory process to secure access to the U.S. market for Australian Chestnut Extract as a botanical product for non-prescription uses.

About 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc., founded in 2010, specializes in developing and commercializing new medicines for the treatment and prevention of vector-borne disease. The Company achieved U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of its lead product, ARAKODA^® (tafenoquine) for malaria prevention, in 2018. ARAKODA is commercially available in the U.S. and Australia. 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc. also collaborates with prominent research and academic organizations in the U.S. and Australia. 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with a subsidiary in Australia. Learn more at www.60degreespharma.com.

The statements contained herein may include prospects, statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements that are based on management's current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results, performance or events may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements.

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This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward‐looking statements reflect the current view about future events. When used in this press release, the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "future," "intend," "plan," or the negative of these terms and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management, identify forward‐looking statements. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy, activities of regulators and future regulations and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: there is substantial doubt as to our ability to continue on a going-concern basis; we might not be eligible for Australian government research and development tax rebates; if we are not able to successfully develop, obtain FDA approval for, and provide for the commercialization of non-malaria prevention indications for tafenoquine (ARAKODA^® or other regimen) or Celgosivir in a timely manner, we may not be able to expand our business operations; we may not be able to successfully conduct planned clinical trials or patient recruitment in our trials might be slow or negligible; and we have no manufacturing capacity which puts us at risk of lengthy and costly delays of bringing our products to market. More detailed information about the Company and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward- looking statements is set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including the information contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 27, 2025, and our subsequent SEC filings. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. As a result of these matters, changes in facts, assumptions not being realized or other circumstances, the Company's actual results may differ materially from the expected results discussed in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this press release is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

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