Themis wins PRIME status for vaccine candidate

Privately-held Viennese firm Themis Bioscience has been awarded PRIME designation for its candidate chikungunya fever vaccine, unlocking enhanced regulatory support from the European medicines regulator.

Chikungunya is a mosquito-transmitted disease that can have debilitating long-term effects and has no current treatment or prevention options.

Chief executive Erich Tauber said: “Being accepted into the PRIME scheme recognizes the potential of our program and the important endeavor of preventing chikungunya, a severe disease with global outbreak potential and no available treatments.”