Singapore: Japan's Takeda pharmaceuticals has joined hands with India-based Zydus Cadila in an aim to co-develop a vaccine for chikungunya. As per the terms the companies will jointly develop the vaccine right from the early-stage development to its final commercialization. There is currently no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat this virus infection.

"The broad-based agreement includes early stage development to the final commercialisation of the vaccine. There is currently no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat Chikungunya virus infection," Zydus Cadila's group firm Cadila Healthcare said in a BSE filing.

According to the release, Chikungunya has been identified in over 60 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. After a bite of an infected mosquito, onset of illness occurs usually between 4 and 8 days but can range from 2 to 12 days. There is currently no vaccine to prevent or treat chikungunya virus infection.

Statistical data suggest that chikungunya has been reported in over 60 countries so far. Since 2005, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar and Thailand have reported over 1.9 million cases and almost 1.3 million suspected cases of Chikungunya being recorded in the Caribbean islands, Latin American countries, and the United States of America till 2015.

"By partnering with Takeda on this very important research and development initiative and leveraging our development capabilities, we will be taking an all important step to prevent the disease burden which is highly prevalent in developing countries and causes suffering and disability," said Pankaj R. Patel, Chairman and Managing Director, Zydus group.

India, this year, is reeling under one of the worst outbreaks of dengue and chikungunya. Nearly 30 deaths in Delhi have been linked to dengue and chikungunya and over 2,800 people are reportedly infected.Soaring cases of A sharp jump in chikungunya has left authorities scramble to control the outbreak with experts describing this as is the worst outbreak in more than five years.

The Delhi government, which had set up 355 fever clinics, has announced it will fumigate every Delhi street on alternate days and will clean up overflowing garbage bins.
The chikungunya virus is most often spread to people by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, the same vectors that spread dengue and zika.

After the bite of an infected mosquito, illness occurs usually between 4 and 8 days but can range from 2 to 12 days. In some people, the joint pain may persist for months.

The most common symptoms of chikungunya virus infection are fever and joint pain. Other symptoms may include headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, or rash. Outbreaks have occurred in countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Indian and Pacific Oceans. In late 2013, chikungunya virus was found for the first time in the Americas on islands in the Caribbean.