Valneva SE Announces Lifting of EMA’s Temporary Restriction on Chikungunya Vaccine for Elderly

Saint Herblain, France, July 11, 2025 – Valneva SE, a biotechnology company specializing in vaccines for infectious diseases, has announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) will lift the temporary restriction on the use of its chikungunya vaccine, IXCHIQ®, for individuals aged 65 and above. This decision follows a comprehensive review by the EMA’s safety committee (PRAC), which was initiated in May 2025 due to serious side effects observed primarily in elderly patients with underlying medical conditions.

The EMA’s review concluded that IXCHIQ® should be administered when there is a significant risk of chikungunya infection, with careful consideration of the benefits and risks for all age groups. The agency emphasized that the vaccine is contraindicated for individuals with weakened immune systems. Despite the occurrence of serious side effects mainly in older adults, the EMA highlighted the vaccine’s effectiveness in triggering antibody production against the chikungunya virus, which is particularly beneficial for older individuals at increased risk of severe disease.

IXCHIQ® was authorized for use in the European Union in June 2024, and in March 2025, the European Commission extended its label to include adolescents aged 12 and above. The lifting of the restriction marks a significant development for Valneva SE, reinforcing the vaccine’s role in protecting vulnerable populations against chikungunya.

Valneva’s Financial Overview

Valneva SE, headquartered in Nantes, France, operates in the biotechnology sector within the health care industry. The company is listed on the NYSE Euronext Paris and trades in euros. As of July 9, 2025, Valneva’s close price was €2.55, with a 52-week high of €4.236 on February 11, 2025, and a 52-week low of €1.726 on December 15, 2024. The company’s market capitalization stands at €406.41 million, and it has a price-to-earnings ratio of -4.95.

Valneva SE is known for its vaccines IXIARO/JESPECT, for Japanese encephalitis, and Dukoral, for cholera and traveler’s diarrhea. The company is also developing vaccines for clostridium difficile, Lyme disease, chikungunya, and Zika. Through collaborations and licensing agreements, Valneva leverages its EB66 vaccine production cell line and IC31 adjuvant to advance its vaccine candidates.

For more information, visit Valneva’s website at www.valneva.com .