Brazil approves world’s first single-dose dengue vaccine

Brazil’s health regulator, ANVISA, on Wednesday (November 27) approved the world’s first single-dose dengue vaccine, creating a landmark step amid rising mosquito-borne disease risks linked to global warming.

The vaccine, named Butantan-DV, was developed by São Paulo’s Butantan Institute and is authorised for use in individuals aged 12 to 59.

Unlike the existing two-dose dengue vaccine, TAK-003, the new single-dose vaccine allows for faster and more efficient immunisation campaigns.

The development takes clinical trials conducted over eight years involving 16,000 volunteers demonstrated 91.6 percent efficacy against severe dengue.

Butantan Institute Director Esper Callas hailed the approval as a historic achievement for Brazilian science and public health, providing a robust tool against a disease that has long burdened the country.

According to the World Health Organization, over 14.6 million people were infected with dengue globally in 2024, with nearly 12,000 deaths, half of which occurred in Brazil.

With these, Stanford University researchers attribute 19 percent of global dengue infections in 2024 to rising temperatures.

Brazil’s Health Minister Alexandre Padilha confirmed a production agreement with China’s Wuxi Biologics, aiming to supply around 30 million doses by the second half of 2026.