QDENGA (TAK-003):
The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) recently granted market authorisation to Takeda Biopharmaceuticals India’s QDENGA (TAK-003), making it the first dengue vaccine to be approved in the country.
- QDENGA (TAK-003) is a dengue vaccine developed by the Japanese pharmaceutical company Takeda.
- It is the first dengue vaccine to be approved in India.
- The vaccine has been approved for the prevention of dengue in individuals aged four to 60.
- QDENGA is a live-attenuated (weakened) tetravalent vaccine designed to provide protection against all four dengue virus serotypes (DENV-1 to DENV-4).
- It is administered as a two-dose regimen, with doses given three months apart.
- The vaccine can be administered irrespective of whether an individual has had a previous dengue infection and does not require pre-vaccination screening.
- The vaccine has already been approved in more than 40 countries, including the European Union, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Indonesia, and Argentina.
Dengue:
- Dengue disease is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the dengue virus, leading to mild, flu-like symptoms in most people.
- However, a small number of patients develop severe disease, with potentially fatal bleeding and organ damage.
- It poses a significant global public health threat, with prevalence in over 125 countries.
- India accounts for nearly one-third of the global dengue burden.
