Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL), a prominent vaccine manufacturer, has set its sights on launching its dengue fever vaccine for commercial use by early 2026, according to a high-ranking executive. This intention is in the midst of a competitive race to develop India’s inaugural vaccine against this mosquito-borne disease.
Dengue, which is transmitted through mosquitoes, has escalated into a significant public health concern in India over recent years. Between January and July 31, 2023, there were 31,464 reported cases of dengue and 36 associated deaths.
Although the spread of dengue had decreased during the pandemic, there was a striking 333% surge in cases from 2020 to 2021, followed by a 21% rise in case numbers between 2021 and 2022, as confirmed by the National Center for Vector Borne Diseases Control.
K. Anand Kumar, the Managing Director of IIL, reassured that the preliminary trials of the vaccine, conducted on approximately 90 individuals aged 18 to 50, did not exhibit any adverse effects. Kumar explained that the Phase 1 trials are nearing completion and will be followed by subsequent stages. Given the timeline of these processes, the anticipated commercial launch of the vaccine is aimed for January 2026. Kumar also clarified that the early-stage trials are primarily aimed at evaluating safety and partial efficacy.
IIL received the necessary virus from the U.S.-based National Institute of Health (NIH) to aid in the vaccine’s development, Kumar further noted.
In addition to IIL, at least two other Indian companies, namely the Serum Institute of India and Panacea Biotec, are diligently working on developing their own dengue vaccines.
Headquartered in Hyderabad, IIL is known for exporting both animal and human vaccines to over 50 countries. The company’s core revenue comes from the production of rabies vaccines, contributing around 35% of their total sales.
IIL has projected a total revenue of 13 billion rupees for the fiscal year 2023-2024.
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