On 10 May 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) approved a new vaccine for dengue prevention. The vaccine, called Q-denga or TAK-003 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 to 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.
TAK-003 is the second dengue vaccine to be prequalified by WHO (the first was Dengvaxia, or CYD-TDV). WHO prequalification of medicines is a service provided by WHO to assess the quality, safety and efficacy of medicinal products. Prequalification is intended to give aid and international procurement agencies the choice of a wide range of quality medicines for bulk purchase in resource-limited countries.
Read more on the WHO website: WHO prequalifies new dengue vaccine