Vaccine maker Inviragen has signed a memorandum of understanding with the nonprofit International Vaccine Institute (IVI) for further development of dengue vaccines. Currently, Inviragen has a tetravalent dengue vaccine, DENvax, in two Phase I clinical trials.
Rather than simply focusing on the vaccine itself, this partnership will look to make policy and regulatory changes to assist dengue vaccine adoption in low- and middle-income countries where the disease is prevalent. Dengue has already affected 120 countries, and 2.5 billion people are at risk of developing the disease.
"The [IVI], in collaboration with Inviragen, a company that has shown a commitment to developing a vaccine for dengue, plans to expedite the collective goal of developing and introducing a safe, effective and affordable dengue vaccine in the near future," said Dr. Luiz da Silva, director of the Dengue Vaccine Initiative, of which IVI is a part, in a release. "Dengue is not simply a public health threat but can have a catastrophic effect on the economic status of those living in poverty around the globe. The time is now to invest in the development of dengue vaccines."
- check out the release