This week hVIVO PLC (AIM:HVO) chief executive Mo Khan joined Proactive to talk about how the clinical research company has more than doubled its order book as commercial momentum accelerates.
Khan said the company has transformed into an integrated end-to-end clinical development provider, with growing demand reflected in a 45% year-on-year increase in inbound client proposals.
Watch the full interview below for his assessment of this week's trading update, the drivers behind recent contract wins and the outlook for the business.
Proactive: I'm joined by hVIVO Chief Executive Officer Mo Khan. Very good to speak with you. Could you give us a quick overview of the key highlights of today's trading update?
Mo Khan: Thank you for having me. It has been a very significant first half for hVIVO following the launch of our integrated end-to-end platform for early-stage clinical development under the hVIVO brand in April. Financially, we expect first-half 2026 revenue of around £16.3 million. We always expected the year to be second-half weighted. Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be in the negative mid-single digits for the first half before turning positive in the second half. The standout achievements are our order book increasing from £30 million to more than £65 million and inbound requests for proposals rising 45% year-on-year.
Proactive: What's driven the significant growth in the order book?
Mo Khan: We've had one of our strongest periods for new contracted sales. The integrated platform allows us to provide end-to-end clinical development, from consulting through human challenge trials, laboratory services and non-human challenge trials. The addition of Phase I capabilities through CRS enables us to offer more services to existing customers while attracting new programmes.
Proactive: What other signs of renewed commercial momentum are you seeing?
Mo Khan: Requests for proposals have increased by 45% year-on-year, which is an important leading indicator for future contracts. We're seeing opportunities across human challenge studies, respiratory programmes, cardiometabolic diseases and broader Phase I and Phase II work. Our diversified services make the business more resilient than ever.
Proactive: What's the outlook for hVIVO in the second half?
Mo Khan: We expect a significant increase in revenue compared with the first half. The £65 million order book provides confidence and extends into 2027 and 2028. We have the facilities and resources to execute these contracts and are working to convert additional awards into signed contracts. We expect to remain broadly in line with our full-year guidance.
Proactive: You've mentioned acquisitions including CRS. How has hVIVO changed over the past year, and why should investors have confidence beyond the second-half recovery?
Mo Khan: The company has transformed over the past 18 months. We've evolved from a specialist human challenge CRO into a full-service clinical development provider operating across four service lines: human challenge trials, laboratory services, consulting and broader clinical trials, including non-human challenge studies. This broader offering makes the company more robust and resilient than before.
Proactive: Thank you for your time.
Mo Khan: Thank you for having me.
