Dengue fever, a climate-sensitive disease, is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in endemic countries, but drugs to prevent and treat the disease are lacking. The incidence of dengue fever has increased dramatically over recent decades, and treatments that prevent dengue infection from progressing to severe disease – known as dengue haemorrhagic fever – are urgently needed. Together with our partners, DNDi is prioritizing drug development, with a focus on pregnant women, young children, and people with comorbidities who are more likely to suffer greater morbidity and mortality.

DNDi’s short-term strategy is to work with partners to repurpose existing direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) and host-directed therapies capable of inhibiting the inflammatory response characteristic of severe disease. Over the medium-term, DNDi is working with partners to develop novel antivirals, with four candidates showing in vivo efficacy in preliminary testing.

Project updates