UK's MHRA suspends Valneva's chikungunya vaccine for elderly
(Reuters) -UK's medicine regulator said on Monday it has temporarily restricted the use of French vaccine maker Valneva's shot to treat chikungunya, a virus transmitted by mosquitoes, in people aged 65 and above as a precautionary measure.
The vaccine, IXCHIQ, was approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in February to protect people aged 18 years and above against chikungunya, but is not yet available in the UK market.
"The decision to restrict the licence until further review is based on global data which has highlighted 23 cases of serious adverse reactions, including two cases reporting a fatal outcome, in people aged from 62 to 89 years of age who received the vaccine," the regulator said.
The adverse events were reported in the French overseas territory of La Reunion, where a chikungunya outbreak was reported earlier this year.
MHRA's decision comes after the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in May suspended the use of the vaccine in the age group.
The French Government was the first to take the step in April.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
10 minutes ago
- Yahoo
US FDA approves Merck's RSV antibody for infants
(Reuters) -The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved Merck's preventive antibody shot to protect infants up to one year of age from respiratory syncytial virus during their first RSV season, the company said. The United States has seen limited supply of Sanofi and AstraZeneca's antibody Beyfortus, the only preventive shot for RSV available for infants and toddlers so far. Merck's therapy, called clesrovimab and branded as Enflonsia, is a monoclonal antibody that can be administered as a single dose regardless of birth weight in healthy pre-term, full-term and at-risk infants to protect them against mild, moderate and severe RSV. RSV is a common respiratory virus that causes seasonal infections such as the flu, but is a leading cause of pneumonia and death in infants and older adults. Each year in the United States, an estimated 58,000–80,000 children younger than five years are hospitalized due to RSV, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC currently recommends two immunization options for babies to be protected from severe RSV — an RSV vaccine given to the mother during pregnancy or an RSV antibody given to the baby. Merck expects the drug's shipments to arrive in time for the 2025-2026 RSV season. The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is expected to meet later this month to discuss and make recommendations for the use of Enflonsia in infants.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
L'Oréal acquires a majority stake in British skincare brand Medik8
L'Oréal has acquired a majority stake in the UK's Medik8 as it seeks to expand its position in the skincare market, the French beauty giant confirmed on Monday. As part of the deal, private equity firm Inflexion will remain a minority shareholder, and the current management committee will also stay in their roles. The cost of the stake is officially undisclosed, although the Financial Times reported last week that the potential deal was worth around €1bn. L'Oréal's share price was roughly unchanged on the news. 'We are delighted to welcome Medik8 to the L'Oréal family,' said Cyril Chapuy, President of L'Oréal LUXE. 'As a premium skincare range, with high levels of proven efficacy at an accessible price point, Medik8 perfectly complements our existing skincare portfolio,' he added. L'Oréal has been seeking to capitalise on the boom in science-driven skincare, partly driven by social media influencers. Brands already under its 'Dermatological Beauty Division' include La Roche-Posay, Cerave, Vichy, Skinceuticals, and Skinbetter Science. Related L'Oréal acquires Galderma stake and targets the injectables market The Body Shop goes into administration, with hundreds of UK jobs at risk This unit brought in over €7bn in revenue in 2024, representing an almost 10% year-on-year rise, making it L'Oréal's fastest-growing division. Seeking to expand its portfolio, L'Oréal bought soap maker Aesop in 2023, and Korean beauty brand Dr.G in December. Last year, L'Oréal also acquired a 10% stake in skincare firm Galderma, as well as acquiring the beauty licence for Miu Miu. At the time of the Galderma deal, the French firm said it was 'increasingly investing in a more holistic approach, spanning the entire beauty routine' — thereby 'anticipating and intercepting the signs of skin ageing'. Medik8, founded in 2009, specialises in anti-ageing treatments and was bought by UK-based private equity firm Inflexion in 2021. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
UK's MHRA suspends Valneva's chikungunya vaccine for elderly
(Reuters) -UK's medicine regulator said on Monday it has temporarily restricted the use of French vaccine maker Valneva's shot to treat chikungunya, a virus transmitted by mosquitoes, in people aged 65 and above as a precautionary measure. The vaccine, IXCHIQ, was approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in February to protect people aged 18 years and above against chikungunya, but is not yet available in the UK market. "The decision to restrict the licence until further review is based on global data which has highlighted 23 cases of serious adverse reactions, including two cases reporting a fatal outcome, in people aged from 62 to 89 years of age who received the vaccine," the regulator said. The adverse events were reported in the French overseas territory of La Reunion, where a chikungunya outbreak was reported earlier this year. MHRA's decision comes after the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in May suspended the use of the vaccine in the age group. The French Government was the first to take the step in April.
