The race is on to develop a Zika vaccine

Drugmakers globally are racing to produce a vaccine for Zika, the mosquito-borne virus that has been linked to severe birth defects. The World Health Organization has warned the disease is spreading explosively through the Americas and declared a global emergency. But, companies and scientists have made clear that a vaccine for public use is, at the very least, some months away. Here is a list of drugmakers and the progress they have made so far to develop a vaccine. Sanofi SA: The French drugmaker said its Sanofi Pasteur vaccines division would use its expertise in developing vaccines for similar viruses such as yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis and, most recently, dengue. GlaxoSmithKline plc: The British drugmaker said it is concluding feasibility studies evaluating whether its vaccine technology is suitable for the virus. Intrexon Corp: The U.S. synthetic biology company’s unit said that a genetically modified mosquito has helped reduce the proliferation of mosquitoes spreading Zika. Inovio Pharmaceuticals...