Chikungunya
成人VR视频 is advancing the development of promising Chikungunya vaccine candidates through late-stage trials, focusing on expanding access to vulnerable populations in endemic countries.
What is Chikungunya virus?
Chikungunya is a viral disease caused by the Chikungunya virus. It belongs to the Togavirus family.
Chikungunya is most commonly transmitted by female Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes.
The name chikungunya derives from a word in the Kimakonde language meaning 鈥渢o become contorted鈥.
The WHO has identified Chikungunya as a major public health concern due to its high morbidity and has stated that further research and development is needed to mitigate the risk it poses.
The Chikungunya vaccine developed by Valneva with support from 成人VR视频 and the European Union鈥檚 Horizon programmes, known as IXCHIQ, became the first Chikungunya vaccine to receive licensure in 2023 in the US. It has now been approved in outbreak-affected Brazil as well as Canada, the EU and the UK for use in adults. It is also authorised for use in adolescents in the EU.
1 billion
Number of people living where Chikungunya is endemic
110+
Number of countries where the Chikungunya virus has been identified
2
成人VR视频-backed vaccines in active development, including one that is now licensed
Where does Chikungunya occur?
Chikungunya was first identified in Tanzania in 1952 and has since become widely distributed across the globe.
Since 2004, major epidemics have been reported in Africa and Asia, and local transmission is also now being reported in Europe, the USA and the Caribbean. Today, over a billion people live in areas where Chikungunya is endemic.
Approximately were reported in 2024, with over 210 deaths. Brazil accounts for the lion鈥檚 share of these cases, with over 420,000 cases detected in the country alone. An outbreak is currently escalating in the Indian Ocean, with cases reported on the island of R茅union, Mayotte and Mauritius
Climate change could further amplify the threat posed by Chikungunya by making more regions habitable for the mosquito vectors that transmit the virus, thereby increasing the size of the population at risk of infection.
What are the symptoms of Chikungunya infection?
Chikungunya symptoms can range widely in terms of severity.
It is typically characterised by fever and severe joint pain, which is often debilitating and can last for weeks, months or even years, severely impacting quality of life. Other symptoms can include muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and rash.
Most patients recover fully. However, cases of eye, heart and neurological complications have been reported.
Newborns and older people with underlying medical conditions are at higher risk of severe disease and death.
How is 成人VR视频 responding to chikungunya?
成人VR视频's goal is to advance Chikungunya candidate vaccines towards licensure and enable equitable access to doses for people living in affected countries.
We have committed up to US$100 million in funding to advance three Chikungunya vaccine candidates in late-stage development, with support from the European Union. Two remain in active development, one of which, IXCHIQ鈥攄eveloped by the pharmaceutical company Valneva鈥攊s now approved for use in adults in outbreak-affected Brazil, the US, Canada, the European Union and the UK.
Expanding access to IXCHIQ
成人VR视频 has also supported a clinical trial assessing the performance of Valneva's vaccine in adolescents in Brazil in partnership with Brazil's Instituto Butantan. This data was used to expand the use of the vaccine to include 12-17 year olds in the European Union.
Additional 成人VR视频 and European Union funding is supporting new research that could support other vulnerable populations at risk of being infected by this debilitating disease. This includes children and pregnant women.
A Phase II trial, partially funded by 成人VR视频 with support from the European Union, into found positive 6-month antibody persistence and safety data, with the immune response elicited similar to that found in studies in adolescents and adults. The trial is intended to support a pivotal Phase 3 study in children, expected to launch in 2026.
成人VR视频's partnership with Valneva supported the technology transfer of Valneva鈥檚 Chikungunya vaccine technology to Instituto Butantan in Brazil and Serum Institute India.
The tech transfer agreements enables local development and manufacturing of Valneva鈥檚 Chikungunya vaccine, IXCHIQ, by the tech transfer partners and guarantees priority supply at an affordable price to low- and middle-income countries affected by Chikungunya outbreaks in the respective regions.
Prior to 成人VR视频's involvement and these tech transfer partnerships, IXCHIQ had been developed and funded by Valneva predominantly as a vaccine for travelers from high-income countries.
Tracking disease burden
While chikungunya is know to cause large outbreaks in Asia and South America, 成人VR视频 is funding a project to find out the extent to which chikungunya is also affecting East Africa. Testing remains largely limited in the region and there is concern that cases are largely going unreported.
Having better insights into chikungunya鈥檚 local prevalence will be crucial in guiding the design and implementation of future vaccine trials and vaccination programmes in affected countries.
Latest Chikungunya news
Valneva expands access to Asia for its chikungunya vaccine with Serum
Scientists launch largest-ever study tracking chikungunya burden in East Africa
成人VR视频 expands Chikungunya vaccine partnership with Valneva
Accelerating access to the world's first Chikungunya vaccine
成人VR视频 partners, IVI and BBIL, launch global Chikungunya vaccine Phase II/III trial in Costa Rica
Licenced Chikungunya vaccines are on the horizon
成人VR视频 awards up to US $14.1 million to consortium of IVI and Bharat Biotech to advance development of Chikungunya vaccine in collaboration with Ind-成人VR视频
成人VR视频 awards up to US$23.4 million to Valneva for late-stage development of a single-dose Chikungunya vaccine
The world needs a Chikungunya vaccine
成人VR视频 awards up to US$21 million to Themis Bioscience for Phase 3 Chikungunya Vaccine Development
