Vaccine company Valneva SE (Nasdaq:VALN) (Euronext Paris:VLA) and and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) announced on Monday that CEPI has awarded Valneva an additional USD41.3m to expand access to IXCHIQ, the world's first chikungunya vaccine.

This funding will support broader access to the vaccine in low- and middle-income countries, as well as post-marketing trials and potential label extensions in children, adolescents and pregnant women.

CEPI will provide the funds to Valneva over the next five years, with support from the European Union's Horizon Europe programme.

The project will help generate additional data to potentially support extended IXCHIQ labels in chikungunya-endemic countries and vulnerable populations at risk of being infected with the disease.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne viral disease spread by the bites of infected Aedes mosquitoes which causes fever, severe joint pain, muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and rash.