HIVIVO: Research firm announces final stage of study on cold-like virus human metapneumovirus

While most people have mild cases of HMPV, severe cases can result in bronchiolitis, bronchitis and pneumonia.

Despite its prevalence and potential severity, there are currently no vaccines or antivirals approved to treat the virus.

HVIVO announced today that it had signed a £2m contract with a new biopharmaceutical client to complete the final stage of its characterisation study on the virus, ahead of future human challenge trials.

The final phase of the study is expected to commence in the first half of this year.

The company said that it should then be in a position to commence human challenge trials, where volunteers are intentionally exposed to the virus, from the second half of 2025.

Speaking on the latest announcement, Yamin ‘Mo’ Khan, chief executive officer of HVIVO, said: “We are pleased to have secured this £2m contract with a new biopharmaceutical client so soon after the successful pilot HMPV characterisation study.

“This underscores the significant value human challenge trials can bring in providing rapid, high-quality efficacy data to support vaccine and therapeutic development.

“HMPV currently has no approved vaccine or therapeutic on the market, and hVIVO is proud to lead the charge in helping our client bring medicines to the patients.”

HMPV is associated with approximately 20 per cent of respiratory tract infections in children worldwide.

Up to 16 per cent of the children infected with the virus develop more severe symptoms, with over 16,000 deaths worldwide in children under the age of five each year.

HVIVO said its pilot characterisation trial – a move required to allow for further study of the virus – had produced a safe, measurable and reproducible disease in healthy volunteers, demonstrating strong infection and symptomatic response rates.

The company said the trial had also confirmed the optimal dose of the challenge agent, or pathogen, required for the work, validating the viability of its model.

The next phase of the study will aim to expand the dataset by enrolling additional healthy volunteers, in a move HVIVO said would further strengthen its model and ensure “robust powering” for future human challenge trials.

HVIVO said that given the rising global focus on HMPV due to recent outbreaks and increasing case numbers, the company anticipates growing demand for HMPV drug development services.

It added that revenue from the project is expected to be recognised within 2025.