Bavarian Nordic A/S announced that Health Canada has approved VIMKUNYA^® (recombinant, adsorbed) for immunization to prevent disease caused by chikungunya virus infection for individuals 12 years of age and older.

The single-dose vaccine is the first virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine approved in Canada for protection against the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus, expanding preventive options for travelers to endemic and outbreak regions.

This marks the fifth regulatory approval of VIMKUNYA, which has also been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Commission, the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and Swissmedic.

Paul Chaplin, President and CEO of Bavarian Nordic, said: “Health Canada’s approval marks an important milestone in our efforts to expand access to our chikungunya vaccine globally. We are pleased to strengthen preventive options for Canadian travelers with a differentiated single-dose vaccine against a disease that can cause a significant and long-lasting burden.”