The world may soon get a vaccine against Chikungunya

What is the news?

A multi-country Phase II / III clinical trial of a vaccine led by the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) in partnership with Bharat Biotech International Ltd (BBIL) has begun in Costa Rica.

It is funded by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) with support from the Ind-CEPI mission of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), India.

BBV87 vaccine

• IVI is increasing the speed of clinical development of the vaccine named BBV87 through Phase II / III randomized, controlled trials.
• BBV87 vaccine is an inactivated whole virion vaccine based on a strain derived from an East, Central and South African genotype.
  •  Virion is a complete virus particle that consists of an RNA or DNA core with a protein coat
• Inactivated virions technology has a safety profile that potentially makes this vaccine accessible to special populations, such as the immunocompromised and pregnant women

Funding

• The funding is supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme
• CEPI first partnered with IVI and BBIL for providing up to $14.1 million for vaccine manufacturing and clinical development of the BBV87 vaccine candidate
• It is also supported with a grant of up to $2.0 million from the Indian Government’s Ind-CEPI initiative

About GCCDP

• The Global Chikungunya Vaccine Clinical Development Programme (GCCDP) seeks to develop and manufacture an affordable Chikungunya vaccine to achieve WHO prequalification
• It aims to enable its distribution in low- and middle-income countries
• It is also consistent with CEPI’s core commitment to equitable access, affordability, and sustainability.

Terms to know:

• CEPI
• International Vaccine Institute
• Horizon 2020