Valneva, a French drug manufacturer, announces the accelerated evaluation by the European Medicines Agency of its vaccine against chikungunya. It could be available in 2024.
- French company Valneva, a drugmaker, announced that its chikungunya vaccine candidate is under accelerated evaluation by the European Medicines Agency.
- The vaccine could be available in Europe as early as 2024.
- It was already authorized in the United States in November.
A vaccine against chikungunya could soon be available in Europe. The French company, Valneva, a drug manufacturer, announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has validated its marketing authorization application file. The EMA will now carry out its review of the serum under an accelerated procedure. Called VLA1553, this single-injection vaccine candidate could become the first authorized in Europe in 2024. It would protect the population from this virus, transmitted by mosquitoes.
Chikungunya: a vaccine of “major interest” for public health
“There marketing application was placed on accelerated assessment last month by the EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) on the basis of “the major interest of the vaccine candidate for public health and innovation therapeutic”specifies the company in a communicated. This accelerated procedure reduces the examination time from 210 to 150 days. “We welcome the acceptance of the marketing review by the EMA and will work closely with them to bring VLA1553 to the market, rejoiced Juan Carlos Jaramillo, medical director of Valneva. The Chikungunya virus, or CHIKV, has already spread to more than 110 countries and the risk of chikungunya spreading in Europe is relatively high due to the possibility of infected travelers.” He recalls that no vaccine or specific treatment is currently available to fight this disease. The product developed by his company was already authorized in the United States at the beginning of November.
Chikungunya: a vaccine for the entire population?
It is recommended for people over 18 years old, exposed to a high risk of contamination. In mid-November, the company published positive results from a phase 3 study carried out with adolescents. In the future, the serum could therefore also be authorized for this age group. Its operation is based on the elimination of part of the virus genome.
What are the symptoms of chinkungunya infection?
“Chikungunya causes fever and severe joint pain, often debilitating and of variable duration.explains theWorld Health Organization. Other possible symptoms include joint swelling, muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and skin rashes..” In most cases, infected people recover completely. But the WHO records cases of ocular, cardiac and neurological complications. “Newborns infected during delivery and older people with underlying conditions can become seriously ill, and CHIKV infection can increase the risk of death.”she warns.
The virus is circulating particularly in the Americas, in certain African countries and in Southeast Asia, but its presence is expanding. In France, thePastor Institute estimates that 64 departments bring together all the conditions conducive to the emergence of the virus.
