Takeda and Biological E partner to boost dengue vaccine production in India

Japanese multinational pharmaceutical company Takeda has inked a strategic partnership with Indian vaccine and biologic company Biological E. Limited, to boost the manufacture of Takeda's dengue vaccine, TAK-003.

The partnership is expected to significantly enhance vaccine manufacturing capabilities, with Biological E scaling up its production capacity to potentially reach 50 million doses annually. This will accelerate Takeda's goal of producing 100 million doses within this decade.

The announcement was made at BioAsia 2024, a regional life science and healthcare forum organised by the Government of Telangana. "Hyderabad in Telangana will host the facility where the dengue vaccine, a result of the partnership between Takeda and Biological E., will be manufactured. The state of Telangana offers a conducive R&D and manufacturing environment with a focus on life sciences, particularly vaccines and biologics,“ said Anumula Revanth Reddy, Chief Minister of Telangana.

Dengue, the fastest-spreading mosquito-borne viral disease, puts about half of the world's population at risk. This partnership is expected to boost access to the vaccine in dengue-endemic countries, reducing the health impact significantly.

"This strategic partnership reaffirms our commitment to supplying vaccines to protect the health of people around the world," said Dion Warren, Head of India and Southeast Asia Multi-country Organisation, at Takeda.

TAK-003 has shown significant protection against dengue in long-term studies and has been approved in over 30 countries. The partnership aims to further expand this reach, combating unmet public health needs worldwide.

"Leveraging Takeda's technological expertise and Biological E's manufacturing capabilities will support greater accessibility and affordability of dengue vaccines, contributing to the nation's healthcare resilience and future preparedness,“ said Duddilla Sridhar Babu, Hon'ble Minister of Industry & Commerce of Telangana.

This announcement aligns with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) goal to achieve zero case-fatality rate due to dengue by the year 2030 and in combating the global public health threat of dengue fever.

"Takeda's long-term goal for our dengue program has been to make TAK-003 broadly available to those at risk who may benefit from immunisation. Within the last year, we've successfully launched in private markets, are now launching in some public programs, and working with partners to support a broader public health impact," said Gary Dubin, M.D., President of the Global Vaccine Business Unit at Takeda.