NEW DELHI: In a significant announcement, the centre on Wednesday said that the first-ever Phase 3 clinical trial for a made-in-India dengue vaccine has been initiated. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Panacea Biotec have announced the initiation of this landmark trial, which will evaluate the efficacy of India’s indigenous tetravalent dengue vaccine, DengiAll, developed by Panacea Biotec. Currently, in India, there is no antiviral treatment or licensed vaccine against dengue, a viral infection that spreads from mosquitoes to people.
Dengue is a significant public health concern in India, ranking among the top 30 countries with the highest disease incidence. The first participant in this trial was vaccinated on Wednesday at Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) in Haryana's Rohtak, according to a statement from the Union Health Ministry. Commenting on this milestone, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, J.
P. Nadda, said, “The initiation of this Phase 3 clinical trial for India's first indigenous dengue vaccine marks a critical advancement in our fight against dengue.” “It reflects our commitment to protecting our citizens from this pervasive disease and underscores India's vaccine research and development capabilities.
Through this collaboration between ICMR and Panacea Biotec, we are not only taking a step towards ensuring the health and well-being of our people but also reinforcing our vision of Atma.