TIDMORPH
RNS Number : 8467L
Open Orphan PLC
18 May 2022
Open Orphan plc
("Open Orphan" or the "Company")
GBP7.3m Influenza human challenge study contract win
Open Orphan plc (AIM: ORPH), a rapidly growing specialist
contract research organisation (CRO) and world leader in testing
infectious and respiratory disease products using human challenge
clinical trials , announces that hVIVO , a subsidiary of Open
Orphan, has signed a GBP7.3m influenza human challenge study
("Study") contract with a leading biotechnology company to test its
antiviral product using the hVIVO Influenza Human Challenge Study
Model.
The randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study will
test and assess the antiviral prophylactic and post-inoculation
treatment activity of the antiviral in healthy adult volunteers
enrolled through the Company's specialist, tech-enabled volunteer
recruitment arm, FluCamp . The Study will be conducted by hVIVO's
team of medics at its state-of-the-art quarantine facilities in
London and is expected to commence next year. R evenue from the
contract is expected to be recognised across FY23 and FY24.
T he Company's specialised virology laboratories, h LAB, will
determine the viral load of the influenza challenge agent used to
inoculate volunteers, h LAB will also provide serology services and
virology services (viral infectivity assay) for the study.
Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness caused by
influenza viruses that affect the nose, throat and the lungs. It
can cause mild to severe illness, and occasionally lead to death.
According to Financial Times(1) analysis of official data in
England, since the development of effective vaccines and the
emergence of the less severe Omicron variant, influenza is now more
lethal than COVID-19. For every 100,000 Omicron infections, 35 will
result in death, while the equivalent number of flu infections will
lead to around 40 fatalities.
Yamin 'Mo' Khan, Chief Executive Officer of Open Orphan, said :
"I am pleased to sign a contract with this leading biotechnology
company to test its antiviral product using the hVIVO Influenza
Human Challenge Study Model. hVIVO has seen a steady increase in
flu studies, a reflection of the shift in market sentiment
following recent scrutiny of infectious disease data that has
outlined the significant threat of flu and the potential of human
challenge studies to the advancement of drug development
candidates."
Dr Andrew Catchpole, Chief Scientific Officer of hVIVO, said :
"We are excited to test the antiviral prophylactic and post
inoculation treatment activity against flu infection using the
hVIVO Influenza Human Challenge Study Model. hVIVO has pioneered
influenza human challenge studies for decades, with our history
dating back to the Salisbury Common Cold Clinic.
"Since the advent of effective vaccines and treatments for
COVID-19, there has been renewed focus on influenza and official
data shows flu is now a more lethal threat. After completing the
study, we hope to provide positive data and early proof of concept
for our client's product, in order to accelerate its development
into a Phase II programme."
(1) 'Vaccines and Omicron mean Covid now less deadly than flu in
England', The Financial Times , by Burn-Murdoch, John, and Barnes,
Oliver. Link:
https://www.ft.com/content/e26c93a0-90e7-4dec-a796-3e25e94bc59b
Interested in becoming a volunteer?
hVIVO recruits many of its volunteers for its challenge study
clinical trials through its dedicated volunteer recruitment
website, www.flucamp.com . By volunteering to take part in one of
our studies in a safe, controlled, clinical environment under
expertly supervised conditions you are playing your part to further
medical research and help increase the understanding of respiratory
illnesses.
Individuals interested in taking part in COVID-19 human
challenge study research can learn more at www.UKCovidChallenge.com
.
For further information please contact:
Open Orphan plc +353 (0) 1 644 0007
Yamin Khan, Chief Executive Officer
Liberum Capital (Nominated Adviser
and Joint Broker) +44 (0) 20 3100 2000
Ben Cryer/ Edward Mansfield/ Phil
Walker/ Will King
finnCap plc (Joint Broker) +44 (0) 20 7220 0500
Geoff Nash / James Thompson / Richard
Chambers
Davy (Euronext Growth Adviser and
Joint Broker) +353 (0) 1 679 6363
Anthony Farrell
Walbrook PR (Financial PR & IR) +44 (0)20 7933 8780 or openorphan@walbrookpr.com
Paul McManus / Sam Allen / Louis +44 (0)7980 541 893 / +44 (0) 7502 558
Ashe-Jepson 258 /
+44 (0) 7747 515393
Notes to Editors
Open Orphan plc
Open Orphan plc (London and Euronext: ORPH) is a rapidly growing
contract research company that is a world leader in testing
infectious and respiratory disease products using human challenge
clinical trials. The Company provides services to Big Pharma,
biotech, and government/public health organisations.
The Company has a leading portfolio of human challenge study
models for infectious and respiratory diseases and is developing a
number of new models, such as Malaria and COVID-19, to address the
dramatic growth of the global infectious disease market. The Paris
and Breda offices have over 25 years of experience providing drug
development services such as biometry, data management, statistics
CMC, PK and medical writing to third party clients as well as
supporting the London-based challenge studies.
Open Orphan runs challenge studies in London from its
Whitechapel quarantine clinic, its state-of-the-art QMB clinic with
its highly specialised on-site virology and immunology laboratory,
and its newly opened clinic in Plumbers Row. To recruit volunteers
/ patients for its studies, the Company leverages its unique
clinical trial recruitment capacity via its FluCamp volunteer
screening facilities in London and Manchester. The newly opened
facilities have expanded the scope of the business to enable the
offering of Phase I and Phase II vaccine field trials, PK studies,
bridging studies, and patient trials as part of large international
multi-centre studies.
Building upon its many years of challenge studies and virology
research, the Company is developing an in-depth database of
infectious disease progression data. Based on the Company's Disease
in Motion(R) platform, this unique dataset includes clinical,
immunological, virological, and digital (wearable) biomarkers.
hVIVO has a long history of testing influenza vaccines and
treatments, with its history dating back to the Common Cold Unit in
Salisbury. The Common Cold Unit was established following the end
of the Second World War to investigate the microorganisms which
cause typical cold symptoms. It was through this research that the
first human coronavirus was discovered in 1960.
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