Bavarian Nordic A/S (BVNKF, BAVA.CO) announced that Health Canada has approved VIMKUNYA, its vaccine designed to prevent chikungunya virus infection in people aged 12 and older.
Chikungunya is a mosquito‑transmitted viral illness characterized by fever, rash, fatigue, headache, and frequently severe joint pain. Cases have recently appeared in parts of Asia, Africa, and the Americas, including several popular tourist destinations.
VIMKUNYA is a single‑dose, prefilled vaccine that uses an adjuvanted virus‑like particle (VLP) recombinant protein to actively immunize individuals aged 12 and older against chikungunya virus (CHIKV).
It is the first VLP‑based vaccine approved in Canada for protection against the mosquito‑borne chikungunya virus, according to the company.
This approval represents the fifth global regulatory clearance for VIMKUNYA, following authorizations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Commission, the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), and Swissmedic.
Paul Chaplin, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bavarian Nordic, commented that Health Canada’s approval is a significant milestone in expanding global access to the chikungunya vaccine.
