Chikungunya virus is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus for which no antiviral therapy has been approved. Nucleotide analogues are among the most promising broad-spectrum antivirals, as they inhibit viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, an essential enzyme for RNA virus replication.
Looking to fill a treatment gap, the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) is launching the first stage of a $100 million prize competition to support development of broad-spectrum, small-molecule antiviral therapies targeting viruses in the Togaviridae and Flaviviridae families.
Looking to fill a treatment gap, the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) is launching the first stage of a $100 million prize competition to support development of broad-spectrum, small-molecule antiviral therapies targeting viruses in the Togaviridae and Flaviviridae families.
Worrisome new signals caused the U.S. FDA – which earlier this month OK’d revised labeling for Valneva SE’s chikungunya virus vaccine Ixchiq – to suspend the product’s license altogether. Regulators pointed to four added reports of serious adverse events consistent with chikungunya-like illness, and told Valneva, of Saint Herblain, France, that the company must stop U.S. shipping and sales of the product. Shares (NASDAQ:VALN) closed Aug. 25 at $9.43, down $2.21, or 19%.
Danish vaccines manufacturer Bavarian Nordic A/S is to be taken private in a DKK233 per-share deal valuing the company at DKK19 billion (US$2.97 billion). The deal needs the support of 90% of Bavarian Nordic shareholders to go through, and as things stand may not reach that target because it does not have the support of the largest shareholder, the Danish pension fund ATP, which owns 10.17%.
Infectious disease stocks stumbled in the early months of 2025, with the BioWorld Infectious Disease Index (BIDI) plunging 17.83% by the end of April, well behind the broader markets. By comparison, the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index slipped just 1.16%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 4.41%. In 2024, the BIDI ended the year down 6.28%, after hitting a low of -25.12% in late April.
With the U.S. FDA’s approval of Vimkunya, Bavarian Nordic A/S is now in the chikungunya virus infection mix along with Valneva SE’s Ixchiq. A single-dose, adjuvanted virus-like particle-based vaccine to protect against the chikungunya virus infection, Vimkunya is the first of its kind available in the U.S. for those age 12 and older.
Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) and the Southern Research Institute have patented compounds reported to be useful for the treatment of alphaviral infections.
The EMA has been sent back to the drawing board to re-evaluate PTC Therapeutics Inc.’s Duchenne muscular dystrophy therapy Translarna (ataluren), after failing to get the usual rubber stamp following its recommendation in January that the drug’s conditional approval be withdrawn.
