Crucial time for Lyme disease vaccine candidate

The outcome of an upcoming Phase II trial could provide a clue as to whether French biotech firm Valneva (Euronext: VLA) will realize its aim of becoming the leading commercial stage vaccine company.

Results from the study will give an indication as to how close Valneva is to developing a vaccine for Lyme Disease, the most common vector-borne illness in the northern hemisphere with more than 300,000 cases per year in the USA and at least 200,000 in Europe.

After reporting positive Phase I interim data for the VLA15 vaccine candidate in March, Valneva expects to launch a Phase II study in the second half of 2018, subject to regulatory clearances.