World's first dengue fever vaccine cleared for use in Mexico: makers

In a major medical breakthrough, first ever vaccine against the deadly dengue fever has been reportedly cleared for use in Mexico.

Dengue, the fastest-growing mosquito-borne disease, affects up to 400 million people per year globally.

Dengvaxia it is

• According to media reports the vaccine named Dengvaxia has been cleared by French manufacturer Sanofi for use.

• Speaking to AFP, Olivier Charmelli, head of the company's vaccines division called it a "very important moment in the history of public health" and the vaccine as the "innovation of the decade".

• This vaccine could potentially become "a blockbuster" and generate more than a billion dollars in revenue for the French pharmaceutical company, Charmeil reportedly added.

• It took 20 years and more than 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion) in research and development to create Dengvaxia.

Results of trails

• After clinical tests which were carried out on 40,000 people from 15 countries, it was found that Dengvaxia can immunise two-thirds of people aged nine years and older, rising to 93 percent for the more severe form of the disease, dengue haemorrhagic fever.

• It was also found to reduce the risk of hospitalisation by 80 percent.

Vaccines ready to be shipped

• According to media reports, Sanofi Pasteur has requested authorisation to roll out the vaccine in 20 countries.

• "We are waiting for more registrations in Asia and Latin America in the coming weeks," said Charmeil told AFP.

• Several million doses of the vaccine are ready to ship, and Sanofi expects annual production to reach 100 million doses by 2017.

• A stockpile for the European Union will reportedly be shipped in early 2016 and in the United States a year later.