Chikungunya virus

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an emerging/re-emerging mosquito-transmitted pathogen responsible for explosive epidemics of febrile illness reported in at least 99 countries and characterized by debilitating polyarthralgia (severe joint pain).  Between 2006 and 2007, ~1.4 million cases of CHIKV were reported in India, in addition to recent autochthonous outbreaks in Europe, as well as >1.7 million cases of CHIKV in the Caribbean and the Americas. While previous CHIKV outbreaks were not considered life threatening, the 2006 outbreak on the French island of La Reunion had an estimated case fatality rate of approximately 1:1,000.  Although this disease is considered an important threat to those living in endemic areas, the US military, and international travelers, there is currently no licensed vaccine for the prevention of CHIKV illness.

 

Using sophisticated manufacturing and purification approaches, in conjunction with the advanced HydroVax inactivation platform, NTI has developed a highly potent CHIKV vaccine candidate that fully protects against disease symptoms in established animal models.  NTI is currently moving forward with cGMP manufacturing of this vaccine candidate for Phase 1 clinical testing.