{"id":49489,"date":"2024-07-23T09:05:41","date_gmt":"2024-07-23T08:05:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/?p=49489"},"modified":"2024-07-23T09:05:41","modified_gmt":"2024-07-23T08:05:41","slug":"cepi-funds-valneva-e41-3m-to-advance-chikungunya-vaccine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/cepi-funds-valneva-e41-3m-to-advance-chikungunya-vaccine\/49489\/","title":{"rendered":"CEPI funds Valneva \u20ac41.3m to advance chikungunya vaccine development"},"content":{"rendered":"
The vaccine for chikungunya, known as IXCHIQ\u00ae, represents a game-changer in combatting the viral disease.<\/p>\n
The extended partnership between CEPI and Valneva will help improve access to the chikungunya vaccine in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and support post-marketing trials and potential label extensions for children, adolescents, and pregnant women.<\/p>\n
Dr Richard Hatchett, Chief Executive Officer of CEPI,\u00a0said, “Millions of people have been affected by chikungunya and, today, over a billion people live in areas where chikungunya outbreaks occur.<\/p>\n
“Access to an affordable chikungunya vaccine in areas where the burden of disease is the greatest is a joint priority for CEPI, Valneva and our European Union partners.<\/p>\n
“These clinical studies and tech transfer to an additional endemic-region manufacturer will accelerate endemic country access, inform future vaccine rollout strategies and alleviate the burden of future chikungunya outbreaks.”<\/p>\n
Chikungunya<\/a> is a viral disease transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes, primarily Aedes aegypti<\/em> and Aedes albopictus<\/em>. It was first identified during an outbreak in Tanzania in 1952.<\/p>\n The name ‘chikungunya’ derives from a Makonde word meaning ‘to become contorted,’ reflecting the stooped appearance of sufferers due to severe joint pain.<\/p>\n The virus belongs to the Alphavirus genus of the Togaviridae family. Symptoms typically appear 4-8 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito and include sudden high fever, joint pain, muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue, and rash.<\/p>\n Joint pain is often debilitating and can last for weeks or months, but fatalities are rare.<\/p>\n There’s no specific antiviral treatment for chikungunya; management focuses on relieving symptoms with rest, fluids, and pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen.<\/p>\n Preventive measures are crucial, including using insect repellent, wearing long sleeves and pants, and eliminating standing water where mosquitoes breed.<\/p>\n Although chikungunya rarely leads to long-term health issues, its acute symptoms can be severe and significantly impact the quality of life.<\/p>\n With global travel, the virus has spread to many regions, making awareness and prevention measures, such as vaccines<\/a>, critical.<\/p>\nCEPI funding for chikungunya vaccine development<\/h3>\n