Geneva: The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that it had prequalified Takeda Pharmaceuticals' dengue vaccine.
TAK-003 is the second dengue vaccine to be prequalified by WHO. Developed by Takeda, it is 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 6–16 years in settings with high dengue burden and transmission intensity. The vaccine should be administered in a 2-dose schedule with a 3-month interval between doses.
The WHO prequalification list also includes CYD-TDV vaccine against dengue developed by Sanofi Pasteur.
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.
