Geneva: A new vaccine for dengue, TAK-003, becomes the second such vaccine after CYD-TDV, to receive prequalification from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Developed by Takeda, TAK-003 is a live-attenuated vaccine containing weakened versions of the four serotypes of the virus that cause dengue. The World Health Organization said today that the vaccine was prequalified on May 10, 2024. It stated that it recommends the use of TAK-003 in children aged 6–16 years in settings with high dengue burden and transmission intensity. The vaccine should be administered in a 2-dose schedule with a 3-month interval between doses.
“The prequalification of TAK-003 is an important step in the expansion of global access to dengue vaccines, as it is now eligible for procurement by United Nations agencies including The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO),” said Dr Rogerio Gaspar, WHO Director for Regulation and Prequalification. “With only two dengue vaccines to date prequalified, we look forward to more vaccine developers coming forward for assessment so that we can ensure vaccines reach all communities who need it.”
The first vaccine against Dengue included in the World Health Organization prequalification list, the CYD-TDV vaccine, was developed by Sanofi Pasteur.
Dengue is a vector-borne disease transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. Severe dengue is a potentially lethal complication which can develop from dengue infections.
It is estimated that there are over 100-400 million cases of dengue worldwide each year and 3.8 billion people living in dengue-endemic countries, most of which are in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. The largest number of dengue cases reported was in 2023 with the WHO Region of the Americas reporting 4.5 million cases and 2300 deaths. Dengue cases are likely to increase and expand geographically due to climate change and urbanization, WHO stated.
– global bihari bureau
