India, July 20 -- India has approved its first dengue vaccine, QDENGA, after the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) granted market authorisation to Japanese pharmaceutical company Takeda Biopharmaceuticals India. The approval marks a major milestone in the country's fight against dengue, a mosquito-borne disease that affects lakhs of people every year.

QDENGA has been approved for use in individuals aged 4 to 60 years and offers protection against all four dengue virus serotypes. Unlike some earlier dengue vaccines, it can be administered without prior testing for previous dengue infection, making it easier to include in vaccination programmes. The vaccine has already been approved in 43 countries, with more than 32 million doses di...