WHO’s SAGE recommends use of Sanofi Pasteur’s dengue vaccine in endemic countries

It also recognised strong public health benefit to be gained by introduction of Dengvaxia, dengue vaccine

Sanofi and its vaccines global business unit Sanofi Pasteur, announced that the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) has issued its recommendations to the WHO on the use of Dengvaxia dengue vaccine. The SAGE advises that countries with high dengue transmission consider introduction of the dengue vaccine as part of an integrated disease prevention strategy including vector control to effectively lower their dengue disease burden. Successful introduction of dengue immunisation alongside other prevention efforts should help endemic countries to achieve the WHO objectives to reduce dengue morbidity by 25 per cent and mortality by 50 per cent by 2020.

Dengvaxia vaccine’s anticipated impact on dengue fever disease burden is expected to stem from the vaccine’s proven ability to prevent eight out of 10 dengue hospitalisations and up to 93 per cent of severe dengue cases–including dengue haemorrhagic fever–in study participants nine years and older, as demonstrated during 25 months of follow-up of phase III efficacy studies.

The recommendations from the SAGE are based on the technical review of clinical data from 25 clinical studies conducted in 15 different endemic and non-endemic countries around the world, including more than 40,000 study participants.

EP News Bureau – Mumbai