US: First chikungunya virus vaccine approved by FDA for those 18 and above
Vaccine
The United States on Thursday (November 9) greenlit the world's first chikungunya vaccine. Chikungunya is an ailment caused by a virus that is spread by infected mosquitoes. US Food and Drug Administration has called the disease "an emerging global health threat". The vaccine, named Ixchiq, has been developed by Europe's Valneva. USFDA has said that the vaccine has been approved for people 18 and over who face the risk of exposure to the disease.
The approval in the US is likely to boost the speed of the vaccine's rollout in countries where chikungunya is a public health issue.
Chikungunya results in fever and immense joint pain. The disease is more prevalent in regions of Africa, Asia and the Americas. It has been seen that the disease is more common in tropical and subtropical climates.
"However, chikungunya virus has spread to new geographical areas causing a rise in global prevalence of the disease," the FDA said. The agency has reported that more than 5 million cases were found in the last 15 years.
"Infection with chikungunya virus can lead to severe disease and prolonged health problems, particularly for older adults and individuals with underlying medical conditions," senior FDA official Peter Marks said in a statement.
"Today's approval addresses an unmet medical need and is an important advancement in the prevention of a potentially debilitating disease with limited treatment options."
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The recipient of the vaccine receives the vaccine in one dose. The vaccine contains a weakened but live chikungunya virus.
Before the approval, two clinical trials of the vaccine were carried out. A total of 3,500 people were involved in these clinical trials. Commonly reported side effects were fatigue, headache, muscle and joint pain, fever and nausea.
Reuters reported that serious reactions were found in 1.6 per cent of Ixchiq recipients. Two of the patients required hospitalisation.
FDA has also asked the company to conduct a post-marketing study to check whether there was a risk of severe reactions that were similar to chikungunya after the vaccine is administered.
(With inputs from agencies)