hVIVO PLC, a specialist in clinical trials for infectious and respiratory diseases, has announced a £6.3 million contract with an unnamed biotechnology client to conduct a study to test an antiviral for the common cold using a human challenge model.
The phase IIa trial, set to begin in the second half of 2024, will take place at the company's advanced quarantine facilities in Canary Wharf.
Researchers will assess the antiviral candidate's impact on viral load, safety, tolerability, and its effectiveness in preventing the human rhinovirus (HRV) in healthy volunteers.
Revenue from the study is expected to be recognised in 2024 and 2025. hVIVO will leverage its FluCamp volunteer recruitment arm to source participants for the study.
The study aims to generate early human efficacy data, potentially increasing the value of the client's antiviral candidate. This comes at a critical time, as HRV poses significant risks to the elderly, immunocompromised individuals, and those with respiratory diseases. There are currently no approved antivirals for its prevention or treatment.
Chief executive 'Mo' Khan told investors: "We are delighted to be partnering with this biotech client to investigate the use of their antiviral candidate against HRV.
"Our human challenge trials can provide quick efficacy data, that has the potential to significantly enhance the value of our clients' assets, something which is critical in the current tight biotech investment landscape.
"There is renewed focus and capital available to biopharma companies with assets targeting respiratory disease indications. Our HRV human challenge model offers our clients the opportunity to open up these markets, given HRV's association to exacerbation of asthma and COPD."