India has approved its first dengue vaccine, authorising the use of Japanese drugmaker Takeda's Qdenga jab, the health ministry said on Tuesday. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) approved the vaccine for people aged four to 60 after reviewing its quality, safety, and efficacy.
Qdenga is given as two injections, three months apart, and protects against all four dengue virus serotypes. It is approved in 42 countries and has received World Health Organization (WHO) prequalification.
Takeda has a collaboration with Indian vaccine maker Biological E to expand the drug's manufacturing. The vaccine has been distributed in more than 24 million doses worldwide with no major safety concerns reported so far.
Dengue has spread rapidly due to urbanisation, climate change, and changing weather patterns. The WHO estimates nearly half the world's population is at risk, with 100 million to 400 million infections each year. Since 2021, India has reported over one million dengue cases and at least 1,500 deaths.
India is also set to get its own dengue vaccine with Panacea Biotec's candidate, DengiAll, having entered the final stage of clinical trials. Once approved, it would become one of the world's first single-dose dengue vaccines. This development is particularly significant for Bangladesh, which shares similar climatic conditions and faces a high burden of dengue cases.
