Pune, 14 June 2025: The Serum Institute of India, Pune, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Geneva-based Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) to develop an effective and affordable treatment for dengue fever, a mosquito-borne disease that continues to cause significant illness and deaths in India and globally.
Under this agreement, specific monoclonal antibodies have been developed to fight all four types of dengue viruses. The drug is currently in Phase III (final phase) of human trials and will be introduced to the market after successful testing in countries severely affected by dengue, including Thailand, Malaysia, and Brazil.
Dr. Andre Sequeira, Head of the Dengue Division at DNDi, stated, “Dengue is spreading rapidly due to climate change. In India, outbreaks occur every two to three years.”
Dr. Kavita Singh, South Asia Director at DNDi, emphasized that controlling dengue requires not just treatment, but also coordination in pest control, public awareness, diagnostics, and strengthening public health systems.
Dr. Prasad Kulkarni, Executive Director of Serum Institute, said that the manufacturing, supply, and distribution of the drug will be handled by the Serum Institute, ensuring widespread availability in India, Brazil, and other South Asian countries.
Currently, there is no specific treatment or vaccine available for dengue in India, and patients are treated based on symptoms alone. The disease burden has been steadily increasing in recent years. The new dengue treatment is expected to significantly reduce fatalities and hospitalizations once approved and made available to the public.
