Key Summary
- Healthcare professionals should advise travellers of alternative measures to prevent chikungunya infection, including other vaccines.
- IXCHIQ is a live attenuated vaccine and became available in the UK from June 2025.
- The UK now has only has one approved chikungunya vaccine - Vimkunya, developed by Bavarian Nordic.
The MHRA has withdrawn the marketing authorisation for IXCHIQ chikungunya vaccine following the advice from the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM).
The regulator said the benefit-risk balance for the IXCHIQ chikungunya vaccine is no longer favourable and has advised healthcare professionals to consider alternatives.
IXCHIQ is a live attenuated vaccine, manufactured by Valneva, and became available in the UK from June 2025.
The MHRA has advised healthcare professionals not to prescribe, supply or administer the IXCHIQ vaccine, and dispose of any remaining stock in accordance with local policies.
They should advise travellers of alternative measures to prevent chikungunya infection, including other vaccines, avoidance of mosquito bites and adherence to current health-related travel advice.
The UK now has only has one approved chikungunya vaccine - Vimkunya, a single-dose vaccine developed by Bavarian Nordic.
They should also ensure that any materials, systems or communications referring to available UK vaccination options are updated to remove the IXCHIQ vaccine.
Individuals who have already received the IXCHIQ vaccine do not need another vaccination or any other specific medical treatment because of this decision.
Those experiencing suspected side effect following the vaccination should seek medical advice.
Since the authorisation of IXCHIQ, serious adverse reactions have been reported, including chikungunya-like symptoms and rare neurological events such as encephalitis.
Most of these cases involved older adults and individuals with underlying medical conditions were at greater risk.
However, some individuals with no known health conditions were also affected.
Some cases resulted in hospitalisation or death.
After reviewing the post-authorisation safety data and consulting the CHM, the MHRA has decided to withdraw marketing authorisation for the IXCHIQ vaccine.
Individuals travelling from the UK to regions with known chikungunya transmission are advised to consider alternative measures.
Chikungunya virus is found in the subtropical regions of the Americas, Africa, Southeast Asia, India, and the Pacific Region.
The MHRA had on 11 February this year curtailed the usage of IXCHIQ vaccine for adults over the age of 60 years, and all individuals with hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and/or chronic kidney disease.
Chikungunya symptoms
The chikungunya virus is transmitted by the bite of an infected female Aedes mosquito and the symptoms include sudden onset of fever usually accompanied by joint pain.
The joint pain may be very debilitating, but usually ends within a few days or weeks.
However, in some cases, joint pain and arthritis may persist for several months or even years.
