Takeda Biopharmaceuticals India has received market authorisation from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for Qdenga, making it the country’s first licensed dengue vaccine. The shot is cleared for people aged 4 to 60, regardless of whether they have previously been infected, and does not require pre-vaccination screening.
The approval arrives as India continues to carry one of the world’s heaviest dengue burdens, with health experts estimating actual infections run into the tens of millions annually despite far lower official case counts. Qdenga is a two-dose, live-attenuated vaccine targeting all four dengue serotypes, administered three months apart.
Company officials called the clearance a milestone for regional public health, citing seven years of efficacy data alongside the vaccine’s rollout across more than 40 countries and over 32 million doses distributed worldwide. Takeda says it will now work with Indian regulators and health authorities on distribution planning.
Approval rests on a global trial program spanning nearly 30,000 participants, including India-specific safety data.
Written By: Sayan Das
Graphics by: Pramit Hazra
