India Begins Phase III Trial for Dengue Vaccine

• 16 Aug 2024

On 14th August, 2024, India launched the first phase III clinical trial for a new dengue vaccine, DengiAll, developed by Panacea Biotech, with initial administration at PGIMS, Rohtak.

• The phase III trial for the DengiAll vaccine started at Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Rohtak.
• DengiAll targets all four dengue serotypes and is being tested at 19 sites across 18 states and union territories in India.
• The study will track 10,335 healthy adults over a two-year period, aiming to assess the vaccine’s efficacy and safety.
• Funded primarily by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) with partial support from Panacea Biotech, the trial underscores the critical need for an effective dengue vaccine.
• The vaccine utilizes live, weakened versions of all four dengue serotypes, developed through a collaboration with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in the US.
• Dengue cases globally have surged from 505,430 in 2000 to 5.2 million in 2019, with India experiencing a significant increase in cases nationwide.
• A major challenge in dengue vaccine development is the risk of antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE), where a vaccine might increase the severity of the disease if not properly managed.