First dengue vaccine may be out by 2016

MANILA, Philippines - The world’s first vaccine against dengue may already be out in the market by 2016, strengthening global efforts to prevent the disease that threatens 2.5 billion of the world’s population, a French pharmaceutical firm said.

Joselito Sta. Ana, head of dengue Asia Pacific and commercial operations of Sanofi Pasteur, said the firm is just waiting for the results of the large efficacy study done on a vaccine in Latin America.

The results, he said, would be analyzed by the end of the year and then documents would be submitted to the health authorities of various countries for product licensing.

“By the first quarter of next year we are going to submit it so hopefully, it depends on (the licensing processes), by 2016 we will have it already,” he added.

The study in Latin America involves more than 20,000 volunteers from Brazil, Colombia, Honduras, Mexico and Puerto Rico. The results will complement other clinical trials being done in the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, covering a total of 10,275 children.

The Asian study is now in “Phase 3” or efficiency trial and it demonstrated a 56-percent reduction of cases.