A vaccine candidate against chikungunya developed by Company Valneva has been shown to be safe and well-tolerated, as well as eliciting an immune response, in a phase 3 trial, according to work published today in The Lancet.
The research results show that VLA1553 vaccine it elicited an immune response in 99% of participants (263 of 266 people) and was “generally well tolerated.”
The trial was not conducted in regions where chikungunya is endemic – mainly parts of Africa, Asia and the Americas – so its aim was not to directly analyze whether the preparation could protect against viral infections.
The disease caused by chikungunya is spread by mosquitoes and causes fever and severe joint pain that can last for weeks, months or even years.
Although it is fatal in a few cases, newborns and the elderly are especially vulnerable.
“This could be the first chikungunya vaccine available to both people living in endemic regions and travelers.”Martina Scheneider, director of clinical strategy at Valneva, said in a statement to The Lancet.
Schneider, the study’s lead author, called the results “promising” and noted the “robust immune response seen in older participants.”
4115 adults took part in the preparation’s safety test, of which 3082 received a dose of the vaccine, and 1033 received a placebo, while induced immunity was analyzed in 362 participants, of which 266 received the vaccine and 96 received a placebo.
Among people who received a dose of VLA1553, the most common adverse effects were headache (in 32% of cases), fatigue (29%), muscle pain (24%), joint pain (18%)) and injection site pain (13 %).
“Serious side effects” were reported in 2% of participants who received the vaccine (46 of 3,082), but there were no deaths.
The proportion of spontaneous abortions observed among the vaccine population was “slightly higher” than expected in the general population (23%, compared to a rate between 11% and 16%), although this effect “may have been due to natural variation in the small sample “, the study points out.
Source: Panama America
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
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