Sanofi Pasteur's Dengue Vaccine Approved in the Philippines

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi, announced that the Philippines have granted marketing approval to Dengvaxia^®, making it the first vaccine to be licensed for the prevention of dengue in Asia. The Philippines' Food and Drug Administration approved Dengvaxia^®, tetravalent dengue vaccine, for the prevention of disease caused by all four dengue types in individuals from 9-45 years of age living in endemic areas.

Dengue fever burden in Asia continues to be the highest globally with an estimated 67 million people being sickened by the dengue annually.As an urban disease, dengue attacks populations of Asia in the form of unpredictable outbreaks capable of paralyzing health care systems, negatively impacting social and economic activity. Asian endemic countries spend an estimated 6.5 billion USD annually in both direct medical and indirect costs due to dengue.

Dengue is a major public health priority in tropical and subtropical countries in Asia and Latin America. Sanofi Pasteur is introducing Dengvaxia^® first in these countries where the vaccine has the greatest potential to reduce dengue burden globally and help to achieve the World Health Organization's goal to reduce dengue mortality by 50% and morbidity by 25% by 2020 in endemic countries. Sanofi Pasteur enrolled over 40,000 participants in extensive safety and clinical efficacy studies conducted mainly in endemic countries and built a dedicated vaccine production facility in France to secure adequate quality and quantity supply of the vaccine to meet endemic country demand upon introduction. 

INJECTABLE POLIO VACCINE SHANIPV AVAILABLE FOR INDIAN INFANTS

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi, announced today that the first shipment of ShanIPV(TM), a brand new injectable, inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) manufactured by its affiliate Shantha Biotechnics, in Hyderabad, India, will occur in a couple of days. These first vaccine doses will be available to implement one dose of IPV in India's immunization schedule for all infants.

Today, India is officially introducing IPV in their national immunization schedule, to supplement the iconic "drops on sugar" of oral polio vaccine (OPV). Over 20 million newborns will eventually benefit from this new vaccine every year. This is a critical step towards a polio-free future, a prospect that is now very close. India's 2014 certification as polio-free reassured experts that the decades-long global fight against polio was finally drawing to an end. Sanofi Pasteur and its affiliate Shantha Biotechnics will together produce most of India's IPV supply.

Only two countries in the world are still classified as polio endemic, meaning that wild polio virus passes routinely between members of the community. However, great progress has been made in both countries and the last case of polio in the world may possibly be only months away.