Scientists make key breakthrough in fight against dangerous 'breakbone fever': 'Closer than ever'

A new medication may make treatment for dengue, also known as "breakbone fever," attainable. 

While new developments are promising, some obstacles still exist.

What's happening?

According to the Mayo Clinic, dengue fever is a mosquito-borne illness that causes symptoms such as high fever and joint pain. Mosnodenvir is an antiviral pill that could be the first treatment for dengue. 

A study conducted as part of its early Phase 2 trials showed that the drug could be effective. According to Vox, it could be used to prevent and treat dengue.

As Xuping Xie wrote in a paper that appeared in the same issue as the study, "the dengue community may be closer than ever to a long-awaited treatment."

But Johnson & Johnson, which was supposed to produce mosnodenvir, decided it would no longer be the pill's manufacturer. This isn't the first time the pharmaceutical company has stepped away from infectious disease treatment. 

In 2023, Fierce Biotech reported that J&J was shutting down a lot of infectious disease and vaccine research. A J&J spokesperson said the company would focus on conditions that are "poised to have the greatest impact for patients." These conditions include cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and retinal disorders.

Why is this shift in research concerning?

According to The Conversation, many companies don't focus on rare diseases simply because they aren't profitable. Before 1983, only 34 of the more than 7,000 known rare diseases had treatments.

Treatments for rare diseases became more common after the Orphan Drug Act was passed in 1983. In its first 36 years of existence, the financial incentives offered by the legislation allowed 724 drugs to be approved for rare diseases.

Awareness also plays a part in what is and isn't treated. 

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The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and the COVID-19 pandemic brought record attention, money, and resources to these illnesses. Despite that, there aren't any definitive cures for ALS and long COVID. COVID is also still spreading.

Dengue treatment shouldn't need to be profitable for pharmaceutical companies to create partnerships with researchers.

As Vox's Pratik Pawar wrote, "The people who need dengue treatments most are not the people who can pay the most."

Pawar said he wrote his piece because he's been paying attention to how tropical diseases aren't so tropical anymore. While our planet warms, mosquitoes' habitats expand. 

In 2025, there were already 13 million cases of dengue across North America by March. Taking swift action is crucial to prevent further infections.

What's being done about dengue fever treatment?

According to Vox, Belgian university KU Leuven has regained ownership of mosnodenvir. The university is partnering with the Wellcome Trust to find new partners for manufacturing and funding.

Many people are working to prevent dengue from happening in the first place. Solutions include enlisting the help of mosquitofish and public awareness campaigns.

As the "Fight the Bite" campaign in San Diego County, California, advised, draining standing water in your yard is vital to prevent mosquitoes from breeding. It's also important to wear long sleeves outdoors and use EPA-approved insect repellents to avoid being bitten by the bugs.

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