hVIVO plc (AIM:HVO), a specialist in conducting human challenge trials, announced on Tuesday that it has signed a clinical trial agreement with Traws Pharma (NASDAQ:TRAW), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapies for respiratory viral diseases.

Under the agreement hVIVO will conduct a human challenge trial evaluating Traws' antiviral candidate tivoxavir marboxil (TXM) for influenza. The study will use hVIVO's Influenza Human Challenge Study Model to assess the prophylactic treatment for seasonal influenza and bird flu.

Conducted at hVIVO's quarantine facilities in Canary Wharf, the Phase 2a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial will evaluate safety, tolerability, and efficacy in reducing the incidence and severity of influenza in approximately 150 healthy adult participants.

The trial is expected to begin in the first half of 2026, with most revenue recognised within the same year. Participant recruitment will be managed by FluCamp, while laboratory analysis will be conducted at hVIVO's in-house virology facility.

Seasonal influenza represents a significant global health burden, with up to 1 billion cases annually and hundreds of thousands of deaths. hVIVO has previously conducted more than 2,477 human challenge trials involving over 5,000 participants, supporting the development of multiple antiviral and vaccine candidates.