French specialty vaccine-maker Valneva has sold its Priority Review Voucher (PRV) obtained from the FDA for $103 million.
The PRV was granted in November 2023 following FDA approval of Valneva's chikungunya vaccine, IXCHIQ. The vaccine is the world's first licensed chikungunya vaccine.
Proceeds from the PRV sale will fund Valneva's R&D projects, including the co-development of a Lyme disease vaccine, additional trials for IXCHIQ, and the expansion of its clinical pipeline.
The FDA's Tropical Disease Priority Review Voucher Program encourages the development of drugs for tropical diseases. IXCHIQ is a live-attenuated vaccine approved in the U.S. for those at increased risk of exposure to the virus.
Chikungunya, a rising global health threat, has seen over 5 million cases in the past 15 years. Primarily affecting tropical regions, the virus is transmitted by endemic mosquitos that have spread to new areas, increasing its global prevalence. Symptoms include fever, joint pain, rash, headache and muscle pain, with some experiencing persistent joint pain for months or years.
