Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, through its Indian subsidiary Takeda Biopharmaceuticals India Private Limited, and Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd (BSE:500124, NSE:DRREDDY, NYSE:RDY) have signed a distribution agreement under which Dr. Reddy's will promote and distribute Takeda’s dengue vaccine QDENGA® in India’s private market for both pediatric and adult vaccination. The vaccine received marketing authorization from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization in July 2026 for individuals aged 4‑60 years and is expected to become available in the first half of 2027, subject to completion of applicable regulatory processes. Takeda will retain rights to promote and distribute QDENGA in the public market and will keep legal ownership, medical and brand oversight in India, while Dr. Reddy's will serve as the exclusive partner for private‑market activities, leveraging its extensive healthcare professional network and nationwide distribution infrastructure. The collaboration will include disease‑awareness initiatives, healthcare‑professional engagement, and compliance with regulatory requirements.
Dengue remains a major public‑health challenge in India, with reported cases rising eleven‑fold over the past two decades and all four dengue virus serotypes co‑circulating; one in fourteen patients is infected with multiple serotypes concurrently. The Parliamentary Committee on Health has recommended consideration of the dengue vaccine for the Universal Immunization Program, underscoring the growing recognition of the disease burden.
Takeda, a global biopharmaceutical company operating in roughly 80 countries with a heritage of more than 245 years, contributes its global dengue‑vaccine expertise, disease‑education experience, and overall medical and brand oversight. Dr. Reddy's, headquartered in Hyderabad for over 40 years and the second‑largest vaccine player in India, will apply its vaccine expertise, extensive private‑institution network, and distribution capabilities to introduce QDENGA in the private sector.
QDENGA (TAK‑003) is a live‑attenuated tetravalent dengue vaccine built on a DENV‑2 backbone with structural proteins from DENV‑1, DENV‑3 and DENV‑4, administered as a two‑dose regimen spaced three months apart. The global clinical program involved more than 60,000 participants across eight endemic countries, and the pivotal Phase 3 TIDES trial demonstrated efficacy across all four serotypes for seven years. To date, more than 32 million doses have been distributed worldwide through public and private programs in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and other regions. The World Health Organization has pre‑qualified the vaccine and recommends its use in high‑endemic countries without pre‑vaccination screening.
Comments: Dr. Mahender Nayak, Head of Intercontinental Markets, International Business Unit, Takeda, said the partnership will enable timely private‑market access following the recent parliamentary recommendation. M.V. Ramana, CEO – Global Generics, Dr. Reddy's, noted that as the second‑largest vaccine player in India, the company looks forward to making QDENGA available to eligible individuals and contributing to dengue‑burden reduction.
The press release includes standard forward‑looking statements and legal notices, confirming that no securities are being offered and that the information is for informational purposes only.