India approves Takeda dengue vaccine QDENGA for ages 4-60

India has approved its first-ever vaccine for dengue, a significant step in combating a disease that accounts for nearly one-third of the global burden. The Drug Controller General of India granted market authorization on Monday, July 20, 2026, for the vaccine QDENGA, developed by the Japanese biopharmaceutical company Takeda. The vaccine is approved for individuals aged 4 to 60 years.

QDENGA is a two-dose vaccine administered subcutaneously, with the second dose given three months after the first. A key feature of the vaccine is that it can be administered regardless of a person's prior exposure to dengue, eliminating the need for prevaccination testing. It is designed to protect against all four dengue virus serotypes.

The approval is based on data from Takeda's global clinical development program, which included 19 clinical trials with over 28,000 participants. This includes a Phase III trial conducted in India that evaluated the vaccine's safety and immunogenicity. Company officials cited seven-year data showing continued protection against dengue infection and hospitalization across all serotypes. In global trials, the vaccine demonstrated 80.2% efficacy against confirmed...