Dr Reddy’s Laboratories and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, through its Indian subsidiary Takeda Biopharmaceuticals India Pvt Ltd, have entered into a distribution agreement under which Dr Reddy’s will promote and distribute Takeda’s dengue vaccine QDENGA across India’s private market for pediatric and adult vaccination.
Subject to completion of applicable processes with local authorities, QDENGA is expected to become available in India in the first half of 2027.
QDENGA gets India approval
The collaboration follows the marketing authorisation granted to QDENGA by India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) in July 2026 for individuals aged 4-60 years.
The approval makes QDENGA the first dengue vaccine approved in India, marking a milestone in dengue prevention efforts in the country.
Takeda said it remains committed to supporting India’s long-term dengue control efforts and expanding access to QDENGA. While inclusion of dengue vaccination in India’s public immunisation programme remains a long-term objective, private-market availability through Dr Reddy’s is expected to provide eligible individuals with an access pathway once the vaccine is available.
Under the agreement, Dr Reddy’s will handle promotion and distribution of QDENGA in the private market for pediatric and adult vaccination. The companies will also support healthcare-professional engagement, disease awareness and promotion, subject to applicable regulatory requirements.
Dengue burden remains significant
Dengue continues to pose a major public-health challenge in India, with reported cases increasing 11-fold over the past two decades.
A nationwide dengue surveillance study conducted by the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory of the Indian Council of Medical Research found that all four dengue virus serotypes — DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3 and DENV-4 — are circulating across multiple regions in India.
The study also reported that one in 14 patients had concurrent infections with multiple dengue serotypes.
With dengue cases being reported throughout the year across India, prevention and disease management remain key public-health priorities.
Dr Reddy’s to leverage vaccine capabilities
Dr Reddy’s said the collaboration will draw on the complementary capabilities of the two companies as they prepare for the anticipated launch of QDENGA in India in the first half of 2027.
Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, CEO – Global Generics, M V Ramana, said, “As the second-largest vaccine player in India, we believe the introduction of India’s first approved dengue vaccine is an important development for the country’s healthcare landscape. Through our collaboration with Takeda, we look forward to making QDENGA available to eligible individuals and contributing to efforts aimed at addressing the country’s dengue burden.”
Takeda will contribute its expertise in dengue prevention and vaccine science, along with experience in disease education and medical, regulatory and brand strategy.
Takeda retains public-market rights
Takeda will retain the rights to promote and distribute QDENGA in India’s public market. It will also retain legal ownership and overall medical and brand oversight rights for the vaccine in India.
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, Head of Intercontinental Markets, International Business Unit, Dr. Mahender Nayak, said, “Takeda is committed to supporting India’s evolving healthcare needs and expanding access to dengue vaccination. We welcome the recent Parliamentary Committee on Health’s recommendation to consider dengue vaccine for the Universal Immunization Program. This reflects the growing recognition of dengue as a significant public health challenge.”
He added that the private-market collaboration with Dr Reddy’s would help enable access for eligible individuals once QDENGA becomes available in India.
Collaboration targets broader dengue prevention
The agreement forms part of Takeda’s longer-term efforts to support dengue prevention in India. Beyond vaccination, the companies said continued cross-sector collaboration will be important for strengthening surveillance, awareness, vector control and community engagement.
Takeda, headquartered in Japan, has a presence in around 80 countries and operates across therapeutic areas including oncology, gastroenterology, inflammation, rare diseases, plasma-derived therapies, neuroscience and vaccines.
Under the agreement, Dr Reddy’s is the exclusive partner for promotion and distribution of QDENGA in India’s private market for pediatric and adult vaccination, while Takeda retains responsibility for the public market.