Researchers and health authorities from Brazil, India, Malaysia, and Thailand gathered on 26 November in Brasília for the seminar ‘Global South Cooperation in the Search for Dengue Treatments.’ The event was organized by the Dengue Alliance – a coalition formed by the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), Fiocruz, the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), and health and research institutes from Malaysia, India, and Thailand – with support from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and Brazil’s Ministry of Health.
The meeting examined the importance of scientific cooperation led by countries most affected by dengue to accelerate research and development of new tools against the disease. Today, dengue control strategies focus on reducing mosquito transmission and using vaccines developed in recent years. However, vaccines are still not produced at sufficient scale for the entire population and are recommended only for specific age groups.
‘Given the expansion of dengue transmission – both geographically and in the rising number of cases – it is necessary to broaden the range of options by developing effective and affordable medicines for people who are not eligible for vaccination. Despite advances in prevention, there are still no treatments capable of reducing the pressure on health systems, which are frequently overwhelmed during dengue outbreaks,’ said Dr André Siqueira, Head of the Dengue Global Programme at DNDi. ‘That’s why the dengue response must be carried out in an integrated, innovative, and collaborative way, using all available tools and developing new solutions for the most affected countries.’
The researchers gathered in Brasília also discussed next steps for the Dengue Alliance, which will launch clinical trials in 2026 to evaluate the efficacy of at least two potential treatments. The first trial in Brazil is expected to begin in the second half of the year.
‘We aim to strengthen ties with governments, academic institutions, and national and international partners, building a collaborative pathway for developing accessible and sustainable therapies. We face challenges, but we also have the commitment, expertise, and conviction that cooperation is our greatest strength,’ said Dr Viviane Boaventura, physician-researcher at Fiocruz and the institution’s representative in the global alliance.
The European Commission’s Directorate-General Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (DG HERA) recently announced it will invest EUR 20 million, entrusted to the French development agency Agence Française de Développement (AFD), to advance the development of at least two new medicines to treat dengue. The project will be implemented by the non-profit research organization DNDi.
Dr Siqueira noted that although dengue is more common in tropical regions, the climate-sensitive disease’s expansion into previously unaffected areas — including parts of Europe and the United States — is already documented. ‘The climate crisis has made dengue a global issue that requires worldwide attention. This investment from the European Union is essential, and we are now in negotiations to secure financial support from governments of endemic countries, including Brazil,’ said Dr Siqueira.
During the event, Dr Siqueira also highlighted recent statements by President Lula da Silva and Minister of Health Alexandre Padilha about the importance of expanding local medicine production and ensuring equitable access to treatments.
Around 3.9 billion people worldwide are at risk of contracting dengue, and the number of reported cases has doubled year on year since 2021. Despite the growing impact of the disease, there is still no specific antiviral treatment available for patients.
About the Dengue Alliance
A global partnership led by institutions from dengue-endemic countries, the Dengue Alliance is advancing urgently needed pre-clinical research, testing the efficacy of repurposed drug candidates, and implementing clinical trials of the most promising potential dengue treatments. Alliance members also coordinate efforts to help overcome knowledge gaps, expedite clinical research and regulatory review, address unmet needs in diagnostics, mobilize resources, and share research knowledge openly. For more information, visit: dndi.org/global-networks/dengue-alliance/
About DNDi
The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) is a not-for-profit medical research organization that discovers, develops, and delivers safe, effective, and affordable treatments for neglected populations. DNDi is developing medicines for sleeping sickness, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, river blindness, lymphatic filariasis, female genital schistosomiasis, mycetoma, dengue, paediatric HIV, cryptococcal meningitis, and hepatitis C. Its research priorities include children’s health; gender equity and gender-responsive R&D; and diseases impacted by climate change. Since its creation in 2003, DNDi has collaborated with public and private partners worldwide to deliver thirteen new treatments for six deadly diseases, saving millions of lives. For more information, visit: dndi.org
About Fiocruz
The Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) is the largest biomedical research institution in Latin America and produces vaccines and medicines to supply Brazil’s Unified Health System (SUS). Linked to the Ministry of Health, it was created on May 25, 1900, initially to manufacture serums and vaccines against the bubonic plague. Since then, the institution has undergone an extensive journey that is closely intertwined with the development of public health in Brazil.
Currently, Fiocruz operates in 10 Brazilian states, in addition to the Federal District, and maintains an office in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, in Africa. Besides its institutes based in Rio de Janeiro, it has units in the Northeast, North, Southeast, and South regions of Brazil, as well as offices in the states of Ceará, Mato Grosso do Sul, Piauí, and Rondônia. In total, the institution encompasses 16 technical-scientific units dedicated to education, research, innovation, healthcare, technological development, and community outreach in the field of health. For more information, visit https://agencia.fiocruz.br/
Media contact
DNDi
Vânia Alves
(21) 9655-4795
Fiocruz
Ana Paula Blower
(21) 99968-1824
Photo credit: Natália Veras-DNDi
