Bavarian Nordic’s Vimkunya Approved by FDA as First Chikungunya Vaccine for Ages 12 and Up

The FDA has approved Bavarian Nordic's Vimkunya, the first chikungunya vaccine for individuals 12 years and older12.

Vimkunya is a virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine that mimics the chikungunya virus without causing infection13.

The vaccine demonstrated high efficacy, inducing neutralizing antibodies in up to 97.8% of vaccinated individuals 21 days after vaccination13.

Vimkunya is administered as a single intramuscular dose2.

The approval was based on two phase 3 clinical trials involving over 3,500 healthy participants1.

Bavarian Nordic plans to launch Vimkunya commercially in the U.S. in the first half of 202513.

This approval positions Bavarian Nordic as a competitor to Valneva, whose chikungunya vaccine Ixchiq was approved in 2023 for adults 18 and older36.

The FDA granted Bavarian Nordic a Tropical Disease Priority Review Voucher upon approval13.

Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne disease that can cause severe joint pain and other symptoms, with some patients developing chronic conditions26.

The vaccine's approval addresses an unmet need for chikungunya prevention in younger travelers and populations at risk due to climate change expanding the reach of mosquito-borne illnesses13.

Sources:

1. https://www.bavarian-nordic.com/media/media/news.aspx?news=7053

2. https://www.drugs.com/history/vimkunya.html

3. https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/news/bavarian-nordic-scoops-fda-approval-for-chikungunya-vaccine-in-adults-and-teens/

6. https://pmlive.com/pharma_news/fda-approves-bavarian-nordics-chikungunya-vaccine-for-individuals-aged-from-12-years/