United Nations' Specialized Agency In Preliminary Talks With Takeda For Dengue Vaccine, Currently Under FDA Review

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is reportedly in early talks with Takeda Pharmaceutical Co Ltd (NYSE:TAK) regarding the potential orders of its dengue vaccine, TAK-003.
The vaccine, dubbed, Qdenga, is approved in Indonesia, Brazil, the European Union (EU), Iceland, the U.K., Norway, and Lichtenstein.
The FDA has not yet approved TAK-003.
"The data is really very impressive," Reuters reported, citing PAHO director Jarbas Barbosa at a news conference.
Data from the pivotal study showed that TAK-003 prevented 84% of hospitalized dengue cases and 61% of symptomatic dengue cases in the overall population.
The shot follows Sanofi SA's (NASDAQ:SNY) Dengvaxia. However, Dengvaxia's use was scaled back considerably after Sanofi disclosed in 2017 that it increased the risk of severe dengue in children with no prior dengue exposure.
Takeda's dengue fever vaccine in Indonesia marks a significant step toward creating a global vaccine business that would compete with larger rivals such as GSK Plc (NYSE:GSK), Sanofi, and Merck & Co Inc (NYSE:MRK).
Gary Dubin, president of Takeda's global vaccine business, said the vaccine could generate up to $1.6 billion in annual sales.
Price Action: TAK shares are up 1.02% at $16.82 on the last check Friday.