The Philippines ordered an investigation into the immunization of more than 730,000 children with the French drugmaker's product after Sanofi said last week the vaccine should not be recommended for individuals who have not been previously infected by the virus.

"It is important to note that the vast majority of those vaccinated to date live in high endemic settings and, therefore, will have had a prior dengue infection before vaccination,", Sanofi said in an emailed statement.

Sanofi also said most doses of Dengvaxia, which is available in 11 countries, had been sold in Philippines and Brazil for public health campaigns and added a public vaccination program was "ongoing" in the Brazilian state of Parana.

(Reporting by Matthias Blamont; Editing by Ingrid Melander)