London-based CRO hVIVO has landed a £16.8 million ($21 million) contract from an unnamed drugmaker to conduct a phase 2 trial of its respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) antiviral drug candidate.
The company, which hVIVO has only described as a “top five global pharmaceutical” organization, will use hVIVO’s human challenge study model. Additionally, the contract will see the expedited manufacture of the RSV challenge agent, as well as a confirmatory challenge cohort and a multiple cohort challenge trial, the company said in a Dec. 13 release.
HVIVO said it expects to start the RSV human challenge trial in the second half of 2024.
“Our RSV (Memphis strain) challenge agent has played a significant role in the development of RSV vaccines and we are delighted that it is continuing to be used as the go-to model for our clients,” CEO Yamin Khan said in the release.
In February, hVIVO, formerly known as Open Orphan, penned a £6.8 million ($8.2 million) deal with an unnamed pharmaceutical company to run a human challenge test for an RSV antiviral drug candidate. That study was scheduled to be conducted at hVIVO’s Whitechapel facility in London in the first half of 2024.