Valneva and Serum Institute of India Announce Discontinuation of Chikungunya Vaccine License Agreement

Core Insights - Valneva SE and Serum Institute of India have mutually agreed to discontinue their license agreement for Valneva's single-shot chikungunya vaccine, allowing Valneva to regain full rights and control over its supply chain and commercialization efforts in endemic high-risk countries [1][2] Group 1: Company Overview - Valneva SE is a specialty vaccine company focused on developing, manufacturing, and commercializing prophylactic vaccines for infectious diseases, addressing unmet medical needs [5] - The company has advanced multiple vaccines from early R&D to approvals and currently markets three proprietary travel vaccines [6] - Valneva's revenue from its growing commercial business supports the advancement of its vaccine pipeline, which includes a Lyme disease vaccine candidate partnered with Pfizer and a Shigella vaccine candidate [7] Group 2: Chikungunya Vaccine Context - Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne disease causing severe joint pain, fever, and other symptoms, with significant economic and medical burdens expected to grow due to climate change [3][4] - Since 2004, chikungunya has spread to over 110 countries, with more than 3.7 million cases reported in the Americas between 2013 and 2023, highlighting the disease as a major public health problem according to the WHO [4] Group 3: Strategic Partnerships and Funding - Valneva's strategic intent to regain rights to the chikungunya vaccine aligns with its commitment to support access in low-and-middle-income countries, as outlined in a funding agreement with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) [2] - CEPI aims to accelerate vaccine development and ensure equitable access, having supported over 70 vaccine candidates against high-risk pathogens [8] Group 4: Serum Institute of India Overview - Serum Institute of India is a global leader in vaccine manufacturing, with an annual capacity of 4 billion doses and a presence in over 170 countries [10][11] - The company focuses on producing affordable vaccines and has played a significant role in reducing the prices of essential vaccines, including those for Diphtheria, Tetanus, and COVID-19 [11]