This article discusses the recent contract signed by hVIVO, an Irish-listed pharmaceutical company, for the development of a flu challenge model.
The contract, valued at €15.2 million, was established with a large global pharmaceutical company and aims to expand hVIVO’s library of human challenge models.
The first phase of the agreement has already been completed, and a characterisation study is scheduled to commence in the final quarter of this year.
The study’s objective is to determine a safe and reproducible infection dose of Influenza B, a strain of flu known for its severe symptoms.
The recruitment of healthy volunteers will be facilitated through the FluCamp platform, with a future human challenge trial anticipated to take place in the first half of next year.
This contract represents the second bespoke human challenge model development contract announced by hVIVO in recent months.
By creating a flu B challenge model, hVIVO aims to expedite the generation of efficacy data for the client’s vaccine candidate, a task that is challenging to accomplish through traditional field trials.
What is it?
The development of a flu challenge model refers to the creation of a controlled experimental system that mimics the infection of influenza B in order to study its effects, test vaccine candidates, and generate quick efficacy data, which is challenging to obtain through traditional field trials.
This model will allow researchers to deliberately infect healthy volunteers with a specific dose of the influenza B virus, providing a controlled environment to study the disease progression and evaluate the effectiveness of potential treatments or vaccines.
By conducting human challenge studies, hVIVO aims to provide valuable insights into the disease and facilitate the development of novel interventions.
The creation of this flu challenge model is expected to enhance the company’s library of human challenge models, enabling the evaluation of new influenza B vaccine candidates in a more efficient and cost-effective manner.
Characterisation Study
A characterisation study is set to commence in the final three months of the year to identify a safe and reproducible infection dose for the influenza B challenge model.
This study aims to gather data and information regarding the characteristics of the influenza B virus, specifically focusing on the dose required to infect individuals in a controlled environment.
By determining a safe and reproducible infection dose, hVIVO can ensure the reliability and validity of their future human challenge trials.
This study will likely involve the recruitment of healthy volunteers through the FluCamp platform, as hVIVO conducts its drug trials called challenge studies in London.
The results of this characterisation study will be crucial in the development of a new influenza B challenge model, allowing for the quick and efficient evaluation of the client’s vaccine candidate.
Future Human Challenge Trial
Future research in the field of influenza B challenge models will likely involve the execution of a human challenge trial to assess the efficacy of the vaccine candidate. As hVIVO aims to broaden their library of human challenge models, the development of a flu B challenge model is crucial for obtaining quick efficacy data.
Traditional field trials often struggle to provide quick efficacy data, making the creation of a challenge model necessary. By conducting a human challenge trial, researchers can intentionally infect healthy volunteers with the influenza B strain and then evaluate the effectiveness of the client’s vaccine candidate in preventing or reducing the severity of symptoms.
This trial will allow for controlled testing in a controlled environment, providing valuable insights into the vaccine’s efficacy and aiding in the development of effective treatments against influenza B.
