One idea to help get the Penultipox mission research done fast: get several Research Mission ships lined up to complete at about the same turn, as well as when you current research project is about to complete.  You can que up the Mission ships in the ship yards, and then before they finish, move other ships ahead of them in the que. This way you can get the ships ready to come out, but save them in the que until you need them.

Then bring the Research Mission ships out of the shipyard on the same turn your current Research project finishes or on the following turn, then that SAME turn start the Penultipox Mission.

Between your normal research from your Core Worlds and the Research Mission ships, you should be able to complete the Penultipox mission's research quickly, i.e. before another Race can finish it.

(I am assuming that the Penultipox mission is actually working properly in 0.60)