Dengue

A mosquito-borne tropical disease

Dengue virus is spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. It is caused by a flavivirus and is a rapidly growing health problem in tropical and sub-tropical countries of the World. There are four antigenically distinct dengue virus serotypes (DENV-1 to -4). Following infection, some individuals may have asymptomatic disease, others might develop dengue fever, that can progress to the more severely debilitating hemorrhagic fever, vascular leakage, or the highly dangerous dengue shock syndrome, causing internal hemorrhage and organ dysfunction leading to death.

Dengue Prevalence and Mortality

More than 50% of the human population live in dengue endemic areas, and that percentage is expected to rise worldwide.

The largest number of dengue cases ever reported globally was in 2019. All regions were affected. A high number of cases were reported in Bangladesh (101,000), Malaysia (131,000) Philippines (420,000), Vietnam (320,000) in Asia.

2020 showed increases in the case numbers in Bangladesh, Brazil, Cook Islands, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Mauritania, Mayotte (Fr), Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Yemen. Dengue continues to affect Brazil, India, Vietnam, the Philippines, Cook Islands, Colombia, Fiji, Kenya, Paraguay, Peru and, Reunion islands, in 2021.

No effective treatment exists today. There is a huge opportunity to make an impact on morbidity and mortality with an effective point of care treatment.

The following figures are World Health Organization estimates on the annual incidence of individuals infected by dengue.

The annual cost of dengue is substantial. A 2015 estimate was in excess of US$ 9 Billion. This figure was driven Driving by direct costs attributed to patient care and indirect costs associated with lost productivity, lost wages etc. The vast majority of individuals touched by dengue are in low/middle income countries where often healthcare is provided on a self-pay basis where sickness benefits are limited to absent

Dengue infection has a substantial impact on the individuals well-being and ability to work contributing to the cost burden of the disease. Estimates of the duration of symptomatic disease are from 14-19 days.

The GEN-Y Dengue
Point of Care Serotype-Specific Diagnostic

Managing Dengue – A rapid, accurate test will allow swift, effective treatment

There is no dengue serotype diagnostic available today. GEN-Y’s Point of Care rapid test will accurately identify the circulating dengue serotypes in the locality.

Accurate, early diagnosis of the dengue serotype will allow for immediate subcutaneous administration of the correct dengue serotype treatment at the point of diagnosis.

GEN-Y's Dengue Treatment

A novel human antibody treatment to stop dengue in its tracks

GEN-Y has the ambition and the tools to make a major impact in the treatment of dengue infection – reducing the period of sickness of symptomatic dengue, preventing development of severe cases, blocking transmission of the virus through infected blood, saving lives and reducing the global burden and cost of the disease for patients and other stakeholders.

Rapid Virus Neutralisation in Dengue in Serotype-1 Infected Human Blood

Blood infected with dengue serotype-1 virus is treated with GEN-Y’s serotype-1 mAb at various dose levels. The impact on viremia is measured 6 hours later.

The viral load is substantially reduced. This is statistically significant at 1μg and 3μg doses.

These findings demonstrate the potential speed and efficacy of the treatment.