Regulator approves dengue vaccine in Argentina

Lab authorities expect it to be available by mid-spring

dengue mosquito

Argentina’s food and health regulator, the National Administration of Medicines, Food and Medical Technology (ANMAT), yesterday authorized the use of the vaccine against dengue developed by the Japanese laboratory Takeda for all people over 4 years of age, whether or not they have previously had the disease. It is expected to be available in the country in the spring.

The vaccine is called TAK-003 and Takeda will start the manufacturing process so as to be able to send the first batch to the country, according to a Health Ministry press release.

“The laboratory is working to shorten production and distribution times, estimating that it will be available in [Argentina] by mid-spring,” a Takeda laboratory press release said.

This vaccine is based on the dengue 2 virus. Its administration is two doses to be applied with an interval of three months.

“In a clinical study involving more than 20,000 participants over 4.5 years, the vaccine was shown to reduce hospitalizations for dengue fever by 84% and cases of symptomatic dengue fever by 61%,” the laboratory’s statement said.

“These are very convincing efficacy figures,” said Eduardo López, head of the Medicine Department in the Gutiérrez Hospital.

The ministry indicated that TAK-003, also known as Qdenga, received its first approval in August 2022 in Indonesia and then in the European Union in December last year. It was followed by the United Kingdom in January 2023 and has recently also been approved by Brazil’s National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa).

“This vaccine against dengue has undergone several years of research and development that confirm its safety and efficacy,” said Pablo Bonvehí, head of Infectious Diseases at the CEMIC University Hospital.

In 2023 up to April 15, 56,324 cases of dengue were reported in the country.

Dengue has spread in 15 provinces across central and northern Argentina: Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Entre Ríos, Santa Fe, Corrientes, Formosa, Chaco, Catamarca, Jujuy, La Rioja, Salta, Santiago del Estero, Tucumán and San Luis.

-Télam

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