Vimkunya (Chikungunya Vaccine, Recombinant) / Emergent Biosolutions, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bavarian Nordic - LARVOL DELTA

Overview of Chikungunya Virus Epidemiology, Biology, and Pathogenesis. (PubMed, Methods Mol Biol) - "Preventive strategies rely on vector control and vaccination; VLP-based vaccines (e.g., Vimkunya) show promise, while live-attenuated formulations face safety concerns. No licensed antivirals exist; current management is supportive, though investigational therapies targeting viral replication and immune modulation are under development."

Journal • Review • Cardiovascular • Chikungunya • Immune Modulation • Immunology • Musculoskeletal Diseases • Musculoskeletal Pain • Pain

CHIK-RE-VAC: Real-world Effectiveness, Safety & Immunogenicity of Chikungunya Vaccination: Ambispective Study in Reunion & French Guiana (clinicaltrials.gov) - P4 | N=1505 | Recruiting | Sponsor: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de la Réunion | Trial completion date: Oct 2026 ➔ Dec 2027 | Trial primary completion date: Apr 2026 ➔ Jun 2027

Real-world evidence • Trial completion date • Trial primary completion date • Chikungunya • Infectious Disease

Chikungunya Vaccines in Travel Medicine: From Regulatory Approval to Real-World Challenges. (PubMed, Trop Med Infect Dis) - " Two vaccines have recently received regulatory approval: the live-attenuated vaccine IXCHIQ® and the virus-like particle vaccine Vimkunya®...However, uncertainties regarding long-term protection, safety in specific populations, and optimal targeting of travelers remain. Individualized risk-benefit assessment is essential, and further data are needed to refine vaccination strategies for travelers and populations at risk."

Journal • Real-world evidence • Review • Chikungunya • Infectious Disease

Bavarian Nordic secures Health Canada approval for VIMKUNYA vaccine (Scanx)

Canada approval • Chikungunya

Long-term Follow-up Study to Evaluate Safety and Immunogenicity of CHIKV VLP Single or Booster Vaccination (clinicaltrials.gov) - P3 | N=715 | Active, not recruiting | Sponsor: Bavarian Nordic | Trial completion date: Aug 2028 ➔ Feb 2028

Trial completion date • Chikungunya • Infectious Disease

Luciferase unleashed: Lighting the path to vaccine approval using a novel high-throughput chikungunya virus neutralization assay. (PubMed, PLoS Negl Trop Dis) - "The assay contributed to the establishment of the first World Health Organization International Standard for anti-CHIKV (code number 1502/19), and its results harmonized well with other virus neutralization methods. Neutralization titer results from preclinical and clinical serum sample testing supported the characterization of a surrogate threshold of protection, and licensure of VIMKUNYA (CHIKV virus-like particle [VLP] vaccine)."

Journal • Chikungunya • Infectious Disease

Mapping Human Clinical Evidence for Chikungunya Vaccines: A Scoping Review of Immunogenicity, Durability, and Safety. (PubMed, Vaccines (Basel)) - "The included evidence clustered around a limited number of vaccine programs, including TSI-GSD-218, VRC-CHKVLP059-00-VP/PXVX0317/Vimkunya, MV-CHIK/V184, VLA1553/IXCHIQ, ChAdOx1 Chik, and mRNA-1388/VAL-181388. Short-term trial safety data were characterized primarily by mild or moderate local and systemic reactogenicity, while post-authorization safety evidence remains recent and concentrated in licensed products. This scoping review provides a structured evidence map for CHIKV vaccine development and highlights priorities for standardized immunogenicity assessment, longer-term durability data, broader population representation, endemic-region effectiveness studies, and continued post-marketing surveillance."

Journal • Review • Chikungunya

A single-dose chimeric Newcastle disease virus (NDV)/chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an effective CHIKV vaccine candidate. (PubMed, J Virol) - "Currently, two vaccines against CHIKV have been approved: a live-attenuated vaccine (Ixchiq) and a virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine (Vimkunya)...This innovative strategy offers multiple advantages: cost-effectiveness, genetic stability of the inserted gene, and robust immunogenicity with effective immune protection. This approach offers a contribution in addressing the emerging threat posed by CHIKV."

Journal • Chikungunya • Musculoskeletal Pain

Chikungunya virus virus-like particle vaccine (VIMKUNYA) elicits cross-neutralization across CHIKV lineages and against other alphaviruses after just one dose. (PubMed, Vaccine) - "These results highlight the broad immunogenic potential of CHIKV VLP vaccine and support its suitability across diverse populations, including individuals with prior alphavirus exposure, as previous vaccination did not diminish the ability to generate robust CHIKV-specific or cross-neutralizing antibody responses against CHIKV and other arthritogenic alphaviruses."

Journal • Chikungunya • Musculoskeletal Pain

Perspectives on chikungunya vaccinology: from traditional platforms to epitope-driven rational design. (PubMed, Int J Pharm) - "For example, the licensed vaccines Ixchiq (live-attenuated) and Vimkunya (the virus-like particle) still facing limitations regarding safety in specific populations, durability of cross-protection, manufacturing complexity, and global accessibility...These approaches may address limitations of conventional platforms by precisely targeting conserved protective epitopes, broadening human leukocyte antigen coverage, and reducing reactogenicity. While most epitope-based CHIKV vaccine candidates remain in computational or early preclinical stage, continued integration of immunoinformatics, structural vaccinology, and experimental validation could accelerate the development of safer and more broadly protective next-generation CHIKV vaccines."

Journal • Review • Chikungunya • Musculoskeletal Pain

Dengue and chikungunya vaccines past, present and future: implications for travelers. (PubMed, Curr Opin Infect Dis) - "Dengue and chikungunya vaccines are increasingly being used in immunization programs and pretravel consultations. Further real-world data are needed-particularly for seronegative dengue vaccine recipients and older, immunocompromised or medically at-risk adults. Research priorities include developing single-dose, nonlive dengue vaccines suitable for high-risk groups, understanding long-term chikungunya vaccine performance, and exploring broader flaviviral or pan-arboviral platforms."

Journal • Chikungunya • Dengue Fever • Infectious Disease

Chikungunya fever-What we know and have done in the face of a new global public health threat. (PubMed, J Integr Med) - "Two vaccines, VLA1553 (live-attenuated) and PXVX0317 (virus-like, particle-based), have been approved and have shown high immunogenicity, although their accessibility remains limited. J Integr Med. 2026; Epub ahead of print."

Journal • Review • Chikungunya • Immunology • Musculoskeletal Diseases • Musculoskeletal Pain • Orthopedics • Pain • Rheumatology

Vimkunya vaccine: a breakthrough in combating chikungunya. (PubMed, Ann Med Surg (Lond)) - "It has proven to be effective in all age groups, elicits a sustained immune response, and has demonstrated a safer profile in trials. Strategies for fair distribution and ongoing monitoring will be essential for the impact on public health."

Journal • Chikungunya • Fatigue • Musculoskeletal Pain • Pain

Chikungunya virus virus-like particle vaccine (Vimkunya) induces a rapid and durable antigen-specific CD4+ T cell response. (PubMed, Vaccine) - "Comparable to the antibody responses, CHIKV-specific CD4+ T cells were detected as early as eight days post-vaccination, with their frequency increasing over 57 days and stabilizing until 182 days. These results support the rapid induction and durability of the immune response elicited by Vimkunya, thereby supporting this vaccine's potential to provide protection against CHIKV disease."

Journal • Chikungunya • Fatigue • Musculoskeletal Pain • Pain • CD4

Chikungunya virus at a crossroads: Emergence, interventions, and global health strategies. (PubMed, J Infect Public Health) - "Advances include two licensed vaccines (IXCHIQ and VIMKUNYA) and emerging point-of-care diagnostics; yet biomedical innovation alone remains insufficient. Thus, we also conclude that surveillance, vector control, risk mitigation, equity-focused policy, and coordinated global investment are essential to prevent the establishment of endemicity and its wider spread."

Journal • Review • Chikungunya • Infectious Disease

A chikungunya virus-like particle vaccine reduces chikungunya disease in cynomolgus macaques and protection is mediated by antibody transferred from vaccinated humans. (PubMed, NPJ Vaccines) - "VIMKUNYA, a CHIKV virus-like particle (CHIKV VLP) vaccine, was recently approved by regulators in the United States, European Union, and United Kingdom...Animals that received IgG doses resulting in mean reciprocal 80% neutralization titers of 35, well below the predicted protective threshold of ≥100, exhibited improved clinical outcomes compared with CHIKV-infected control animals, suggesting clinical benefits may occur at lower antibody levels. These findings demonstrate immunogenicity and protective efficacy of CHIKV VLP and relevance of neutralizing antibodies in protection, reinforcing its use in humans to protect against chikungunya disease."

Journal • Chikungunya

A multi-country study to test the efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity of a Chikungunya Virus vaccine in adolescents aged 12 to 17 and adults aged 18 and over. The study is designed so that participants receiving the vaccine (active ingredient) or placebo (inactive substance), and the researchers administrating either one, is not aware of what type of vaccine is given. (clinicaltrialsregister.eu) - P3 | N=6144 | Sponsor: Bavarian Nordic A/S

New P3 trial • Chikungunya • Infectious Disease

Travel-Related Challenges of Chikungunya Virus and Vaccination Options. (PubMed, J Epidemiol Glob Health) - "First, VLA1553, trade-named IXCHIQ, is a live-attenuated vaccine with nearly 99% seroprotection; however, it has many safety concerns, including Chikungunya-like illness (CLI), and has recently been paused for use in persons older than 60 years. Second, PXVX0317, trade-named Vimkunya, is a virus-like particle with nearly 98% seroprotection, but it does not cause CLI. Both vaccines are currently recommended for travelers visiting areas with a CDC-declared outbreak."

Journal • Review • Chikungunya • Immunology • Infectious Disease • Rheumatology

New progress in the global expansion and prevention of Chikungunya fever. (PubMed, Acta Trop) - "At the same time, vaccine development reached critical regulatory milestones in 2025: VIMKUNYA® (a virus-like particle vaccine) received regulatory approval in multiple regions, whereas IXCHIQ® (a live attenuated vaccine) faced post-marketing safety concerns leading to suspension in the United States in 2025, still licensed in some other regions, This review provides a comprehensive and up-to-date synthesis of advances in CHIKV virology, viral evolution and vector adaptation, global and China-focused epidemiology, clinical manifestations and chronic sequelae, laboratory diagnostics, therapeutic development, vaccines, and integrated prevention and control strategies. Special emphasis is placed on epidemiological trends, policy updates, and scientific developments reported during 2024-2025. Key research priorities include defining immune correlates of long-term protection, elucidating the mechanisms underlying chronic inflammatory arthritis, improving multiplex..."

Journal • Review • Chikungunya • Immunology • Inflammatory Arthritis • Musculoskeletal Pain • Rheumatology

Vaccination against chikungunya - a systematic review on the immunogenicity, tolerability, and safety of the live-attenuated vaccine (LAV) Ixchiq and the virus like particle (VLP) vaccine Vimkunya. (PubMed, Vaccine) - "In addition to mosquito protection and vector control, two vaccines with a good efficacy profile based on the surrogate marker of seroprotection are now available to prevent chikungunya. While both vaccines showed acceptable tolerability, the safety of vaccines must be continuously assessed based on further data from post-marketing surveillance of the respective populations."

Journal • Review • Chikungunya • Infectious Disease

Chikungunya virus: Current situation and future challenges. (PubMed, Biosaf Health) - "Two vaccines, IXCHIQ® (live-attenuated) and VIMKUNYATM (virus-like particle), have been licensed in Europe and the United States, and multiple candidates including inactivated, subunit, viral-vectored, and messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccines are under development. This review summarized current knowledge on CHIKV virology, epidemiology, evolution, vaccines, and vector control, to provide insights for effective management of this re-emerging arboviral threat."

Journal • Review • Chikungunya

Vimkunya - Hope Against Chikungunya: Science, Safety, and Access. (PubMed, WMJ) - No abstract available

Journal • Chikungunya

Age-specific chikungunya outbreak response immunisation strategies in Brazil: a modelling study. (PubMed, EClinicalMedicine) - "Two chikungunya vaccines, Ixchiq and Vimkunya are licensed...If eligibility expands to younger populations, vaccinating 1-11-year age group will have relatively higher efficiency. International Vaccine Institute and Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development."

Journal • Chikungunya • Infectious Disease

Passive transfer of human sera from chikungunya virus virus-like particle vaccine (Vimkunya) recipients fully protects non-human primates from viremia. (PubMed, NPJ Vaccines) - "Data from seroepidemiology studies demonstrated that a neutralizing titer of >1:10 is protective in convalescent persons. The SNA NT80 threshold of 100 selected by US and European regulators to predict protection against CHIKV disease in humans is conservative by a factor of ~4."

Journal • Chikungunya

A chikungunya virus-like particle vaccine reduces chikungunya disease in cynomolgus macaques and protection is mediated by antibody transferred from vaccinated humans. (PubMed, Res Sq) - "VIMKUNYA, a CHIKV virus-like particle (CHIKV VLP) vaccine, was recently approved by regulators in the United States, European Union, and United Kingdom...Despite having IgG doses yielding neutralizing titers below the established predicted protective threshold of ≥ 100, animals fared better than the CHIKV-infected control animals, suggesting clinical benefits may occur at lower antibody levels. These findings demonstrate immunogenicity and protective efficacy of CHIKV VLP and relevance of neutralizing antibodies in protection, reinforcing its use in humans to protect against chikungunya disease."

Journal • Chikungunya