23 August 2022
Takeda (Japan) has reported the first approval of its dengue vaccine, QDENGA, outside of Japan, specifically in Indonesia.
The vaccine is a tetravalent (targeting serotypes 1, 2, 3, and 4), live-attenuated vaccine. It is approved for use in individuals aged 6 to 45, regardless of prior dengue exposure, and does not require pre-vaccination serological testing. The vaccine is constructed using an attenuated dengue virus serotype 2 "backbone."
The vaccination schedule consists of two doses administered at a three-month interval.
Dengue is a viral disease (Flavivirus) transmitted by mosquitoes. During the first half of 2022, Indonesia reported 63,000 cases of dengue and nearly 600 deaths.
Another vaccine, Dengvaxia by Sanofi, is also available. It is a tetravalent, chimeric vaccine based on recombinant DNA technology, utilizing an attenuated yellow fever virus (17D) "backbone." However, the use of this vaccine is limited to individuals who have laboratory-confirmed (serological) evidence of a previous dengue infection.
According to a report by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) dated July 29, 2022, over 2 million dengue cases and 1,731 deaths have been reported globally. Brazil has reported the highest number of cases this year, exceeding 1.8 million. Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Peru, and India remain high-priority endemic countries.