Open Orphan plc announced that hVIVO, its subsidiary, has signed a £6.2 million contract with a US-based biotechnology company to test its antiviral candidate using the hVIVO Influenza A human challenge study model. The human challenge study is expected to commence in H2 2022 and will be conducted at hVIVO's facilities in London. The Company expects the revenue from the contract to be recognized across 2022 and 2023.

The client has already published preliminary data to demonstrate a favorable pharmacokinetic and safety profile. This candidate exhibits a novel mechanism of action and differs from previously approved drugs. This is an ideal time in the development of this drug to conduct a challenge study.

This is the third significant influenza human challenge study contract that Open Orphan has signed in 2022, as attention switches to potential future outbreaks in this particular disease area. Influenza is a serious global health threat with an estimated 1 billion cases per year, 3-5 million severe cases and 290,000 - 650,000 deaths per year. hVIVO has three decades of experience and expertise in safely conducting challenge studies across a range of respiratory viruses, including various strains of influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human rhinovirus (HRV - common cold virus), and asthma, as well as malaria.

In June 2022, hVIVO announced that it is developing the world's first SARS-CoV-2 Omicron human challenge model.