hVIVO plc (AIM:HVO) (Euronext Growth:HVO) (formerly Open Orphan plc), a specialist contract research organisation (CRO), said on Wednesday that it has signed a GBP5.2m contract with a global biotechnology company headquartered in Asia Pacific to test its respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine candidate using hVIVO's established RSV Human Challenge Study Model.

The Phase 2a double-blinded placebo-controlled human challenge trial will take place at hVIVO's specialist quarantine facilities in London and will evaluate the safety, immunogenicity and efficacy of the client's vaccine candidate against RSV infection.

hVIVO expects to commence the study in the second half of 2023, with the revenue being recognised across 2023 and 2024.

hVIVO has three decades of experience and expertise in safely conducting challenge studies across a range of respiratory viruses, including various strains of influenza, RSV, human rhinovirus (common cold virus) and asthma, as well as malaria.

(USD1=GBP0.83)