World's first chikungunya vaccine

While a potential government shutdown looms, we’re looking at exciting biotech innovations—from the world’s first vaccine for chikungunya virus, to promising treatments for a range of cardiovascular diseases. (465 words, 2 minutes, 19 seconds)

FDA approves world’s first vaccine for chikungunya virus

The vaccine, developed by BIO member Valneva, addresses a growing global health threat driven by changing weather and mosquito patterns.

The news: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Valneva’s single-dose vaccine—the world’s first—against chikungunya, a mosquito-borne virus that can cause chronic illness and debilitating pain, and death in certain populations.

Why it matters: “[M]ore than 75% of the world’s population lives in areas at risk of CHIKV transmission due to factors such as global warming and climate change. Chikungunya has already spread to over 110 countries and is currently regarded as one of the most likely viral infections to emerge in new geographic areas,” says Valneva Chief Medical Officer Juan Carlos Jaramillo, M.D.

The big picture: As floods and heatwaves increase, mosquitoes—and the diseases they carry—are expanding to new regions, including in areas in the Americas and Europe, where they were rarely seen before.

Blunting the mosquito’s bite:As we reported last week, biotech is using genetic modification to control mosquito populations and breeding mosquitoes unable to transmit diseases.

Biotech keeps heart innovations pumping

Bio.News has been tracking the latest developments in treatments for cardiovascular disease—and we spoke to Bayer and Merck about a few you should know about.

Why it matters: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide—and includes a range of diseases from hypercholesterolemia, or elevated levels of “bad” cholesterol in the blood, to dangerous blood clots in veins.

Blood clotting is a necessary function—but clots can turn dangerous when they form in the vein, such as after surgery or a long hospitalization. 

Bayer is developing an entirely new class of treatment—an oral Factor XIa (FXIa) inhibitor, which could reduce dangerous clot formation while leaving the body’s response to bleeding intact for patients who face a high risk of bleeding and dangerous clotting, Bayer’s Sameer Bansilal, M.D., told Bio.News.

What’s next: On Friday, Bayer announced the expansion of the Phase III trial of this drug, asundexian.

What about “bad” cholesterol? Merck is investigating a promising oral pill that could lower it, which could provide an accessible and affordable option for patients who typically require an IV for treatment, explained Merck’s Joerg Koglin, M.D., Ph.D., to Bio.News.

Merck is also working on pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)—a rare and often fatal disease. Currently in Phase III trials, the company’s novel activin signaling inhibitor is promising news for patients.

Looking ahead: Verve Therapeutics reported yesterday that a new trial suggests gene editing could reduce dangerous cholesterol levels—possibly permanently.

President Biden’s Monday: Honoring the 2023 Stanley Cup champs, the Vegas Golden Knights. This afternoon, he’ll host a bilateral meeting with President Joko Widodo of Indonesia. He prepares to meet with China’s President Xi on Wednesday in San Francisco.

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: Just a few days to pass a government funding measure and avoid a shutdown on Friday.