hVIVO plc

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

COVID-19 characterisation study published in peer-reviewed Nature Communications

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 an additional peer-reviewed paper from the world's first COVID-19 characterisation trial has been published in Nature Communications.

"SARS-CoV-2 human challenge reveals single-gene blood transcriptional biomarkers that discriminate early and late phases of acute respiratory viral infections", by Rosenheim, J. et al. is available in Nature Communications, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-54764-3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-54764-3  

The study identified key blood-based biomarkers activated, not only in SARS-CoV-2 infection but also in other respiratory viruses, that can identify and distinguish between the early and late phases of infection. These biomarkers could provide a basis for advancements in infection diagnosis and management in early and late-stage infections.

The SARS-CoV-2 characterisation study was conducted by hVIVO, in partnership with Imperial College London, the Vaccine Taskforce and Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. The study showed that the SARS-CoV-2 human challenge was safe in healthy young adults and provided detailed insights into the course of COVID-19 infection with potential positive public health implications. The clinical results of the study were published previously in Nature Medicine in March 2022.

Nature Communications is an open access, multidisciplinary journal dedicated to publishing high-quality research in all areas of the biological, health, physical, chemical, Earth, social, mathematical, applied, and engineering sciences. Papers published by the journal aim to represent important advances of significance to specialists within each field.

Dr Andrew Catchpole, Chief Scientific Officer of hVIVO plc, said: "Human challenge trials allow researchers to observe in detail infection progression, particularly in the early stages, that would not be possible with a traditional field study. It is fantastic to see that our original COVID-19 viral characterisation study is continuing to enhance understanding of the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and other respiratory viruses, and to see the findings published in a prestigious journal such as Nature Communications.

"Excitingly, the early-stage marker was observable sometimes even before PCR testing confirmed the presence of the virus, suggesting future clinical utility in inferring the infectiousness of a patient early in the infection time-course as well as a potential role in helping stratify patients for antiviral therapy."

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Notes to Editors

hVIVO plc (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 brand, and a lab offering via its hLAB 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 volunteer screening facilities in London and Manchester.