NEW DELHI: There is significant reassuring news in the fight against dengue, which wreaks havoc during the monsoon season every year in the country. India could receive its first dengue vaccine by the first half of 2027. A major strategic agreement has been signed between Japan’s well-known pharmaceutical company Takeda Pharmaceutical and India’s Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories for this purpose.
Under the agreement, the supply and distribution of the dengue vaccine named ‘Qdenga’ in India will be handled by the latter. The Indian drug regulatory authority has already approved the vaccine. Now, after regulatory and market formalities are completed, it is set to be introduced for the general public in early 2027.
How Effective Is the Vaccine?
According to Takeda Pharmaceutical, ‘Qdenga’ has been developed to protect against all four main serotypes (variants) of the dengue virus. The vaccine can be administered to children aged 4 years up to adults aged 60 years.
According to clinical trial results, one year after receiving the second dose, it remained about 80.2% effective against infection. Meanwhile, within 18 months, hospitalisations due to dengue recorded a sharp decline of up to 90.4%.
Dosage and Procedure
The vaccine will be administered in two doses of 0.5 millilitres each. A gap of 3 months between the two doses is mandatory. Notably, there will be no requirement for a prior dengue test before receiving this vaccine; meaning both those who have had dengue before and those who have not can get vaccinated.
Why Is It Important for India?
According to data from the National Centre for Vector Borne Diseases Control, millions of people in India are affected by dengue every year and several deaths are recorded. Over the past two decades, dengue cases in the country have increased nearly 11-fold. Health experts believe that the arrival of this vaccine could significantly reduce the pressure on hospitals during seasonal outbreaks.
