Why in News?
Qdenga, India’s first approved dengue vaccine, is scheduled for commercial launch in the first half of 2027 after receiving marketing authorisation in 2026.
Key Points
Qdenga (TAK-003) is a live-attenuated tetravalent dengue vaccine, meaning it targets all four dengue virus serotypes.
The vaccine received marketing authorisation from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) in July 2026.
It is approved for people aged 4–60 years and is given in two doses three months apart.
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories will distribute Qdenga in India’s private market under an agreement with Takeda Pharmaceuticals.
Is the vaccine developed in India ? No, it was originally created by scientists at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and fully developed, trialed, and manufactured by the Japanese multinational Takeda Pharmaceutical Company
Exam Connect
CDSCO → Central Drug Authority under Ministry of Health & Family Welfare → functions under Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940
Dengue → viral infection mainly spread by Aedes aegypti mosquito bite → four serotypes: DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, DENV-4
Live-attenuated vaccine → uses a weakened but living version of a virus to trigger an immune response without causing the actual disease