(This post contains promotional content) Chikungunya travel health update with Bavarian Nordic
)
VIMKUNYA®▼ chikungunya vaccine (recombinant, absorbed) can help protect travellers aged 12 years and older1
Contains promotional content for UK healthcare professionals only.
Prescribing and adverse event reporting information can be found at the end of this article.
Bavarian Nordic UK has launched VIMKUNYA, the first and only virus-like particle (VLP) single-dose chikungunya vaccine. VIMKUNYA is the latest addition to Bavarian Nordic’s travel health vaccine portfolio.1
Recent advice on chikungunya from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) was published in July 2025.2
Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne illness spread through the bite of infected Aedes mosquitos.3 Outbreaks of chikungunya are unpredictable and are becoming more frequent and widespread.4–9 Despite infections being underreported, over 620,000 cases and 213 deaths were recorded worldwide in 2024.8,9
Chikungunya has been detected in over 110 countries and is found in many popular travel destinations, including Latin America, Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.4 With over 3 million visits made by British travellers to areas of substantial, recent chikungunya risk each year.10–12 While most people recover, chikungunua can have lasting effects in more than 2 out of 5 people infected.13,14
“We’re seeing a clear rise in chikungunya cases coming from popular UK travel destinations, and although it is not widely known among the public, in some people the virus can cause prolonged and sometimes severe symptoms,” said Vincent Macias, Country Director, UK at Bavarian Nordic. “With no specific treatment for chikungunya available, this launch represents a meaningful step towards expanding access to prevention measures, in addition to bite prevention, for those at risk.”
VIMKUNYA is the first and only virus-like particle (VLP) single-dose chikungunya vaccine indicated for the active immunisation against disease caused by chikungunya infection in individuals aged 12 years and older. 1,15
VIMKUNYA can help protect a broad age range of travellers against chikungunya and is easy to administer via a single-dose pre-filled syringe*1
In Phase 3 clinical trials, VIMKUNYA was generally well-tolerated with mostly mild and moderate AEs and induced a robust seroresponse at Day 22, with protective immunity starting to develop as soon as 1 week after vaccination, helping to protect even some last-minute travellers.†‡§1,16–18
VIMKUNYA could be a simple, profitable addition to your travel health offering.
To find out more about us and VIMKUNYA, including how to order, head over to https://bnvaccines.com/en-GB/.
Footnotes:
*VIMKUNYA is contraindicated in individuals with hypersensitivity to the active ingredient or excipients. VIMKUNYA has not been studied in pregnant or immunodeficient individuals, or those using systemic immunosuppressive therapies. Persons who are immunocompromised, including individuals receiving immunosuppressive therapy, may have a diminished immune response to VIMKUNYA. Decisions to administer VIMKUNYA during pregnancy should take into account the individual's risk of exposure to wild-type chikungunya virus, gestational age, and risks to the foetus or neonate. A risk to breastfed children cannot be excluded. The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother's clinical need for VIMKUNYA and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed child from VIMKUNYA.1
†The most common local adverse drug reaction at the injection site after vaccine administration was pain (24.0%). The most common systemic adverse drug reactions observed after vaccination are fatigue (17.8%), headache (16.7%) and myalgia (16.5%).1
‡Immunogenicity and safety demonstrated in two Phase 3, randomised, double- blind, placebo-controlled trials. Seroresponse rate (considered clinically relevant) was defined as the percentage of subjects who achieved an anti-chikungunya SNA NT80 titre ≥100. Difference in seroresponse rates at Day 22 in adult and adolescent subjects (12 to <65 years), a primary endpoint: 97.8% (n=2503/2559) vs. 1.2% (n=5/424) with placebo; at Day 15, a secondary endpoint: 96.8% (n=2355/2434) vs. 0.8% (n=3/395) with placebo; at Day 8, a secondary endpoint: 46.6% (n=1169/2510) vs. 0.5% (n=2/419) with placebo. Difference in seroresponse rates at Day 22 in older adult subjects (≥65 years), a primary endpoint: 87.3% (n=165/189) vs. 1.1% (n=2/183) with placebo; at Day 15, a secondary endpoint: 82.3% (n=149/181) vs. 2.8% (n=5/176) with placebo; seroresponse at Day 8 was not measured in older adult subjects. There are no data available on less than 8 days.1
§As defined by the World Health Organization, the last-minute traveller is anyone departing for an international destination on short notice, typically ≤2 weeks.18
References:
- VIMKUNYA (Chikungunya vaccine, recombinant, adsorbed), Summary of Product Characteristics.
- Department of Health & Social Care. Chikungunya vaccine in UK travellers: JCVI advice. 2025. Available online:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chikungunya-vaccine-for-uk-travellers-jcvi-advice-16-july-2025/chikungunya-vaccine-in-uk-travellers-jcvi-advice. Accessed December 2025. - Mourad O, et al. Chikungunya: An Emerging Public Health Concern. Curr Infect Dis Rep. 2022;24(12):217–228.
- Bettis AA, et al. The global epidemiology of chikungunya from 1999 to 2020: A systematic literature review to inform the development and introduction of vaccines. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2022;16(1):e0010069.
- Yactayo, S et al. Epidemiology of Chikungunya in the Americas. J Infect Dis. 2016;214(5):S441–S445.
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Chikungunya fever in EU/EEA. Available from: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/chikungunya/threats-and-outbreaks/chikungunya-fever-eueea. Accessed December 2025.
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Factsheet about chikungunya. Available from: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/chikungunya/facts/factsheet. Accessed December 2025.
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Chikungunya worldwide overview: situation update, January 2024. Available from: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/chikungunya-monthly. Accessed December 2025.
- World Health Organization. Chikungunya. 2022. Available from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/chikungunya. Accessed December 2025.
- Nurhayati-Wolff, H. Number of international visitor arrivals from the United Kingdom to Indonesia from 2014 to 2023. 2024. Available online: https://www.statista.com/statistics/709662/number-of-international-visitor-arrivals-from-the-united-kingdom-to-indonesia/#statisticContainer. Accessed December 2025.
- Office for National Statistics. Travel trends 2023. Travel trends estimates: UK residents visits abroad. October 2024. Available online: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/leisureandtourism/datasets/ukresidentsvisitsabroad. Accessed December 2025.
- Grabenstein JD & Tomar AS. Global geotemporal distribution of chikungunya disease, 2011-2022.Travel Med Infect Dis. 2023:54:102603.
- Rama K, et al. Clinical outcomes of chikungunya: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2024;18(6):e0012254.
- Puntasecca CJ, et al. Measuring the global burden of chikungunya and Zika viruses: A systematic review. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2021;15(3):e0009055.
- Ixchiq (chikungunya vaccine, live), Summary of Product Characteristics.
- Richardson JS, et al. Chikungunya Virus VLP Vaccine: Phase 3 Trial in Adolescents and Adults. medRxiv 2024.10.11.24315179.
- Tindale LC, et al. Chikungunya Virus VLP Vaccine: Phase 3 Trial in Adults ≥65 Years of Age. medRxiv 2024.10.10.24315205.
- Rosselot, G. Last minute travellers. In CDC Yellow Book 2026: Health Information for International Travel. 2025. Available online: https://www.cdc.gov/yellow-book/hcp/preparing-international-travelers/last-minute-travelers.html. Accessed December 2025
VIMKUNYA is indicated for active immunisation for the prevention of disease caused by chikungunya virus in individuals 12 years and older. The use of this vaccine should be in accordance with official recommendations.1
VIMKUNYA prescribing information can be found here.
Adverse events should be reported. Reporting forms and information can be found at www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard.
Adverse events should also be reported to Bavarian Nordic: drug.safety@bavarian-nordic.com
UK-VIM-2500054 | December 2025
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
.png/fit-in/500x500/filters:no_upscale())
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=logo}
)
)
)
){kind=logo}
){kind=logo}
)
)
){kind=logo}
)
)
.png/fit-in/1280x9999/filters:no_upscale()){kind=logo}
)
)
)
)
){kind=logo}
