Bavarian Nordic’s Vimkunya makes UK debut amid Ixchiq suspension
Bavarian Nordic has launched its chikungunya vaccine, Vimkunya, within the UK.
This follows the sharp rise in travel-related illness incidences reported throughout the nation, with the UK Well being Safety Company (UKHSA) revealing that circumstances have been up 170% in August 2025 in contrast with the identical time in 2024.
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Although Vimkunya was authorized by the Medicines and Healthcare merchandise Regulatory Company (MHRA) in Might 2025, the jab will now be out there for UK clients to buy by non-public journey clinics.
Regardless of the UK Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommending chew avoidance as the first prevention technique for chikungunya, the company has endorsed the usage of vaccines in adults travelling to areas with lively outbreaks.
The JCVI’s name can be welcome information for Bavarian Nordic, which is able to now compete for market share with the one different authorized chikungunya vaccine, Valvena’s Ixchiq.
Although Ixchiq was the primary chikungunya vaccine to acquire US Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) approval – getting the inexperienced mild in November 2023 – its brief tenure available on the market has confirmed turbulent for Valneva.
Since its launch, the corporate has been struggling to shake off security considerations related to Ixchiq, following 21 hospitalisations and three deaths linked to the vaccine.
This led the FDA to ban the usage of Ixchiq in late August 2025, placing Vimkunya in pole place as the one chikungunya vaccine out there within the area.
]The FDA’s U-turn on Ixchiq comes simply two weeks after the regulator determined to raise its partial suspension on the vaccine, following investigations into reviews of great hostile occasions (SAEs).
Over within the UK, Ixchiq continues to be out there, however the UKHSA has suspended its use in adults over 65, pending investigation. In adults over 60 and people with thymus problems, the UK recommends in opposition to the usage of the drug.
The EU has taken a extra liberal method to Ixchiq’s use, selecting to raise a brief restriction on vaccinations in adults over 65. Nonetheless, the European Medicines Company’s (EMA) security committee famous that the vaccine ought to solely be given when there’s a important danger of an infection.
In the meantime, Vimkunya has demonstrated no new security indicators since its approval, placing it in a superb place to be the popular chikungunya vaccine transferring ahead.
Bavarian Nordics estimates that, in its first yr available on the market, Vimkunya will make $7.8m to $15.6m for the corporate, although whether or not the jab will meet that concentrate on is but to be seen.
In line with analysts at GlobalData mum or dad firm of Pharmaceutical Expertise, Vimkunya will expertise a gradual uptick in gross sales transferring ahead, with the vaccine forecasted to usher in $170m for Bavarian Nordics by 2031.
In the meantime, gross sales of Ixchiq are set to achieve $273m in 2031.
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