Dengue vaccine makes WHO shortlist

A NEW vaccine for dengue received pre-qualification from the World Health Organisation (WHO) on May 10.
The WHO said in a statement that TAK-003 was the second dengue vaccine that it had prequalified.
Developed by Takeda, WHO stated, it was a live-attenuated vaccine containing weakened versions of the four serotypes of the virus that cause dengue.
“WHO recommends the use of TAK-003 in children aged six-16 years in settings with high dengue burden and transmission intensity.
“The vaccine should be administered in a two-dose schedule with a three-month interval between doses,” the statement said.
“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 UNICEF and PAHO,” Dr Rogerio Gaspar, WHO director for regulation and prequalification, said.
“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 that need it.”
The WHO prequalification list also included CYD-TDV vaccine against dengue developed by Sanofi Pasteur.
According to the WHO, 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.
Dengue cases were likely to increase and expand geographically due to climate change and urbanisation.