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US well being authorities have suspended the license for the Ixchiq vaccine in opposition to the chikungunya virus following stories of “serious adverse events,” the drug’s French maker stated Monday.
Ixchiq is certainly one of simply two vaccines accredited by the US Meals and Drug Administration for the mosquito-spread virus, which primarily happens in tropical and subtropical areas however has not too long ago been found in international locations worldwide.
French firm Valneva obtained US approval for the vaccine in 2023 however stories of unwanted effects have prompted opinions specifically over its use in older sufferers, together with by the European Medicines Company this 12 months.
“The suspension of the license is effective immediately,” Valneva stated of the FDA order issued Friday, citing 4 extra instances of great unwanted effects, three of which concerned folks aged 70 to 82.
“As we determine potential next steps, and as the clear threat of chikungunya continues to escalate globally, Valneva remains fully committed to maintaining access to our vaccine as a global health tool,” chief govt Thomas Lingelbach stated in a press release.
The corporate stated it was evaluating the monetary influence of the suspension “but is not modifying its revenue guidance at this time.”
It stated Ixchiq generated gross sales of seven.5 million euros ($8.8 million) within the first half of this 12 months.
The suspension prompted a sell-off of Valneva’s shares on the Paris inventory change, falling over 26% in opening offers.
Public well being specialists say chikungunya may very well be a possible future pandemic risk as local weather change pushes the mosquitoes that unfold it into new areas.
The signs are just like these of dengue fever and Zika virus, with excessive fever and extreme joint ache that’s typically debilitating and varies in period.
Chikungunya is never deadly, although there may be elevated danger of demise for infants and the aged.
In July, the World Well being Group warned of the dangers of a serious chikungunya epidemic, calling for pressing motion.
The company stated it was choosing up the identical early warning indicators as in a serious outbreak twenty years in the past, which swept throughout the Indian Ocean earlier than spreading globally and affecting nearly half 1,000,000 folks.
To this point this 12 months, Europe has seen 27 chikungunya outbreaks, a brand new document for the continent, the European Centre for Illness Prevention and Management (ECDC) stated this month.
© 2025 AFP
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US suspends chikungunya vaccine Ixchiq over ‘critical’ unwanted effects: Valneva (2025, August 25)
retrieved 25 August 2025
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