RCS - hVIVO PLC - hMPV challenge model update

hVIVOAnnouncement

13/01/2025 07:00

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RNS Number : 9481S  hVIVO PLC  13 January 2025

hVIVO plc

("hVIVO", the "Company" or the "Group")

 

hMPV challenge model update

 

Highlights

·    hVIVO successfully completes pilot hMPV characterisation study

·    Study exhibited strong infectivity rate and induced symptomatic
disease in healthy volunteers

·    Now marketing for hMPV challenge trials to support the development of
hMPV vaccines and antivirals

·    Dr Andrew Catchpole to present data from the study at the 13(th)
International RSV Symposium in Brazil

 

hVIVO plc (AIM: HVO), a fast-growing specialist contract research organisation
(CRO) and world leader in testing infectious and respiratory disease products
using human challenge clinical trials, announces that it has successfully
completed a pilot characterisation study for its human metapneumovirus (hMPV)
strain A2 challenge agent, demonstrating proof-of-concept for a future hVIVO
hMPV challenge model to test new vaccines and antivirals.

 

The pilot study, which took place at the Company's state-of-the-art quarantine
facility in Canary Wharf, produced a safe, measurable and reproducible disease
in healthy volunteers with strong rates of infection and symptomatic disease.
This study confirms that the Company has a viable hMPV human challenge model
which can be used in future human challenge trials to support the development
of hMPV vaccines and antivirals to meet this unmet medical need. The Company
is now marketing its hMPV challenge model and will look to complete the
remainder of the characterisation study with a partner in advance of
completing future human challenge trials.

 

Dr Andrew Catchpole, Chief Scientific Officer at hVIVO, will present data from
the pilot study at a presentation titled 'Disease characteristics and
immunological profiles obtained from pilot study in a newly developed hMPV
human challenge model' at the 13(th) International RSV Symposium on 12-15
March 2025 in Iguazu, Brazil.

 

Dr Andrew Catchpole, Chief Scientific Officer of hVIVO plc, said: "The pilot
hMPV characterisation study in healthy volunteers was designed to test the
feasibility of this new model and has been very successful, producing good
infectivity rates and clear disease symptoms.  Like the hVIVO RSV models, I
am confident our hMPV model can play a crucial role in speeding up the
development of a first vaccine or antiviral for this global pathogen, which is
currently causing particular concern in China(1) where a surge in cases has
been recorded."

 

(1)
https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/news-events/increase-respiratory-infections-china
(https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/news-events/increase-respiratory-infections-china)

 

For further information please contact:

 

 hVIVO plc                                       +44 (0)20 7756 1300
 Yamin 'Mo' Khan, Chief Executive Officer

 Stephen Pinkerton, Chief Financial Officer

 Cavendish Capital Markets Limited (Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker)                  +44 (0)20 7220 0500
 Geoff Nash, Camilla Hume, Harriet Ward

 Nigel Birks - Life Science Specialist Sales

 Louise Talbot - Sales

 Peel Hunt LLP (Joint Broker)                                        +44 (0)20 7418 8900
 James Steel, Dr Christopher Golden

 Davy (Joint Broker)                                                 +353 (0) 1 679 6363
 Anthony Farrell, Niall Gilchrist

 Walbrook PR (Financial PR & IR)                 +44 (0)20 7933 8780 or hvivo@walbrookpr.com

 Paul McManus / Phillip Marriage /               +44 (0)7980 541 893 / +44 (0)7867 984 082 /

Louis Ashe-Jepson
+44 (0)7747 515 393

 

 

Notes to Editors

 

hVIVO plc (http://www.hvivo.com) (ticker: HVO) is a fast-growing specialist
contract research organisation (CRO) and the world leader in testing
infectious and respiratory disease vaccines and therapeutics using human
challenge clinical trials. The Group provides end-to-end early clinical
development services to its large, established and growing repeat client base,
which includes four of the top 10 largest global biopharma companies.

 

The Group's fast-growing services business includes a unique portfolio of 11
human challenge models, with a number of new models under development, to test
a broad range of infectious and respiratory disease products. The Group has
world class challenge agent manufacturing capabilities, specialist drug
development and clinical consultancy services via its Venn Life Sciences
(https://www.vennlifesciences.com/) brand, and a lab offering via its hLAB
(https://hlabservices.com/) brand, which includes virology, immunology
biomarker and molecular testing. The Group also offers additional clinical
field trial services such as patient recruitment and clinical trial site
services.

 

hVIVO runs challenge trials in London - its new state-of-the-art facilities
in Canary Wharf opened in 2024 and is the world's largest commercial human
challenge trial unit, with highly specialised on-site virology and immunology
laboratories, and an outpatient unit. To recruit volunteers / patients for its
studies, the Group leverages its unique clinical trial recruitment capability
via its FluCamp (http://www.flucamp.com/) volunteer screening facilities
in London and Manchester.

 

About hMPV

 

hMPV is a common virus that causes an upper respiratory infection, similar to
the common cold. Symptoms include cough, fever, nasal congestion, and
shortness of breath. Most people have mild cases of hMPV, but severe cases can
result in bronchiolitis, bronchitis and pneumonia. hMPV is associated with
approximately 20% of respiratory tract infections in children worldwide(2). Up
to 16% of the children infected with hMPV develop more severe symptoms(3),
with over 16,000 deaths worldwide in children under the age of five each
year.(4) Despite its prevalence and potential severity, there are currently no
vaccines or antivirals approved to treat hMPV.(5)

(2)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/immunology-and-microbiology/human-metapneumovirus
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/immunology-and-microbiology/human-metapneumovirus)

(3) Howard LM, et al. 2021

(4) Wang X, et al. 2021

(5) CDC

 

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