Takeda and Zydus Cadila are stepping into the fray to develop a vaccine for chikungunya, an increasingly crowded segment that now has over a dozen candidates in various stages of development.

While Sanofi late last year became the first company to commercialize a vaccine for dengue, Takeda has strengthened its position as the likely next to market contender following the start of a global Phase III program for its rival product.

Takeda has initiated dosing in the first field trial globally with a candidate vaccine for norovirus, maintaining its clear development lead in the area.

The China FDA has given a production nod to Beijing Sinovac for its EV71 vaccine, which now appears set to be the first product of its type globally to be commercialized. The company expects to launch the vaccine in June and is also actively seeking partners in other Asian countries.