Vaccine company Valneva SE (Nasdaq:VALN) (Euronext Paris:VLA) announced on Monday that it will supply 40,000 doses of its IXCHIQ vaccine to combat the chikungunya outbreak in La Réunion, with an option to increase supply.

Deliveries will start in early April.

This initiative, funded by the French government, aligns with the Haute Autorité de Santé's recommendation to prioritise vaccination for adults aged 65 and older with comorbidities.

Chikungunya cases have surged in La Réunion, with 8,600 cases reported since early 2025 and nearly 3,000 new cases recorded from 3 to 9 March. Local authorities have declared a Level 4 emergency, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a travel alert due to the risk of transmission to mainland France and other French territories.

IXCHIQ, the world's first licensed chikungunya vaccine, is approved in the United States, Europe, Canada and the United Kingdom for individuals aged 18 and older, with an upcoming label extension to include individuals aged 12 and above.

Valneva expanded its partnership with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) in 2024 through a USD41.3m grant to increase vaccine access in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). The company also signed an exclusive licence agreement with the Serum Institute of India to supply the vaccine in Asia and a 2021 agreement with Instituto Butantan in Brazil to support vaccine development and distribution in Latin America and selected LMICs.