Bavarian Nordic Chikungunya Vaccine Recommended by CDC's ACIP

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recommended Bavarian Nordic’s recombinant vaccine for the prevention of disease caused by chikungunya virus (1). Bavarian Nordic, which is based in Denmark, reported the recommendation of the virus-like particle (VLP)-based, single-dose injection (brand name Vimkunya) on April 16, 2025.

The recombinant chikungunya vaccine was previously approved by FDA in February 2025 for use in individuals age 12 and older, the same group for which ACIP’s recommendation was made (1,2). It had also been recommended for marketing authorization by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency at CHMP’s January 2025 meeting (3).

ACIP has recommended the vaccine for those, again, age 12 and older, who may be traveling to a country or territory where there is a chikungunya outbreak (1). It also may be considered for persons who are traveling or residing in a locale without an outbreak, but where there is elevated risk for US travelers if their stay is planned for an extended length of time.

“ACIP’s recommendation of our chikungunya vaccine for Americans aged 12 and older is a big step forward to expanding access to this vaccine in the United States,” Paul Chaplin, president and CEO of Bavarian Nordic, said in a company press release (1). “Chikungunya is an emerging public health threat around the world, and today’s decision is another milestone in our mission to protect more people from this virus.”

The disease known as chikungunya is mosquito-borne and is caused by the virus of the same name (1). It has been identified in more than 110 countries in the past two decades, including numerous travel destinations in Asia, Africa, and the Americas, and evidence of transmission has been observed in more than 50 countries since 2020. Bavarian Nordic characterizes outbreaks as often large and unpredictable.

Symptoms usually include fever, rash, fatigue, headache and often, according to Bavarian Nordic, severe, incapacitating joint pain (1). While most patients recover in one to two weeks, up to 40% of those with the disease have the chance of developing months- or yearslong chronic arthritis. Worldwide chikungunya cases were reported to have increased by more than 20% in 2024 over 2023, equating to approximately 620,000 diagnoses. However, Bavarian Nordic said data has suggested that case numbers are “severely” underreported, with many misdiagnosed as dengue fever (1).

ACIP’s recommendation is pending final approval by the director of the CDC, and by the US Department of Health and Human Services. The Bavarian Nordic vaccine is supplied in a single-dose, 1-mL glass pre-filled syringe, with a dose volume of 0.8 mL (1).

References

1. Bavarian Nordic. Bavarian Nordic’s Chikungunya Vaccine Receives Recommendation from US CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Press Release. March 16, 2025.
2. Bavarian Nordic. Bavarian Nordic Receives U.S. FDA Approval of Chikungunya Vaccine for Persons Aged 12 and Older. Press Release. Feb. 14, 2025.
3. EMA. Meeting Highlights from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) 27-30 January 2025. Press Release. Jan. 31, 2025.