DENGUE-PACT, an initiative led by DNDi and partners in the Dengue Alliance, aims to advance the development of new dengue treatments, strengthen outbreak response, and lay the groundwork for equitable access to new health tools in dengue-endemic countries in Latin America, South-East Asia, and Africa.
DNDi and partners in the Dengue Alliance welcomed the pre-selection of the DENGUE-PACT (Dengue Alliance-Led Platform for Accelerated Therapeutics, Biomarker-Enabled Care, and Epidemic-Responsive Deployment) proposal by the Global Coalition for Local and Regional Production, Innovation, and Equitable Access, announced at a side-event during the 2026 World Health Summit in Berlin, Germany. DENGUE-PACT is one of the five proposals shortlisted by the Coalition, and the only one dedicated to developing treatments for the climate-sensitive disease.
Driven by climate change, rapid urbanization, and increased population mobility, dengue is the most widely distributed and rapidly spreading mosquito-borne viral disease in the world – and its epidemiological footprint is growing. Despite promising innovation in vaccines and vector control, the lack of a specific, effective, and available treatment that can stop dengue progression and prevent severe illness remains a barrier to comprehensive responses to disease outbreaks.
‘We are very pleased the proposal has reached this point. DENGUE-PACT proposes a different approach to developing solutions against dengue by putting endemic countries at the forefront of the process. We look forward to working with the Global Coalition to mobilize the partnerships and resources needed to turn this ambition into concrete public health benefits,’ said Thi Hanh Cao, Director of External Relations at DNDi.
A platform led by endemic countries
DENGUE-PACT proposes a multinational platform bringing together research and public health institutions from endemic countries, principally across Brazil, Malaysia, India, Thailand, and Kenya, and international partners to accelerate the development of new dengue treatments, strengthen research capacities, and ensure equitable access to new health tools in countries most affected by the disease.
‘More than developing a single product, the proposal seeks to connect drug development to other areas fundamental to public health impact, including diagnostic and prognostic tools, outbreak forecasting, clinical research, regulatory preparedness, access planning, the assessment of local and regional manufacturing opportunities, and technology transfer,’ explained André Siqueira, Head of Dengue Global Programme at DNDi.
At the centre of the project is the clinical development of a monoclonal antibody developed through a collaboration between the Serum Institute of India (SII) and DNDi. This therapeutic candidate is expected to be evaluated in a multinational Phase III clinical trial in dengue-endemic countries. If proven safe and effective, the goal is to advance the potential treatment to registration and implementation in endemic countries, with equitable access to the drug built in from the earliest stages of development.
DENGUE-PACT also provides for the advancement of other therapeutic candidates and the development of tools to support early diagnosis, identify patients at higher risk of developing severe dengue, share clinical trial capacity, and integrate early prediction systems that could contribute to outbreak preparedness.
Next steps
While the pre-selection of DENGUE-PACT is an important step forward, it is not final approval or a funding commitment. DNDi and Dengue Alliance partners now need the support of governments, development partners, philanthropies, and other funders to help convert this shared ambition into resources, partnerships, and ultimately new tools to confront the growing health threat presented by dengue.
Photo credit: Global Coalition for Local and Regional Production, Innovation, and Equitable Access
