Press Launch of hVIVO COVID Clear Test, the Most Accurate Antibody Test Available to UK Employers to Help Get People Back to Work

- Thursday 4 June 2020, 11am at hVIVO's world leading virology clinic in Whitechapel, East London

We are making available for the first time on demand antibody testing direct to large employer groups in the UK

We are also seeking channel partners to make testing available through GP networks, nursing services, health clinics and private hospitals

LONDON, June 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Launched on Thursday 4^th June 2020, hVIVO COVID Clear Test, https://hvivo.com/covid-clear/, which is part of Open Orphan plc, https://www.openorphan.com/, is the most accurate antibody test available to UK employers, helping them to get their people back to work. Having recently secured the rights from Quotient for their antibody testing platform which detects with 100% accuracy antibodies when present (unlike finger prick tests which MHRA advised against), hVIVO is now formally offering antibody testing to customers on Thursday 4 June 2020.

We are inviting members of the press and camera crews to our laboratory where we will demonstrate the full sample testing procedure. In the clinic, a nurse will draw blood from volunteers, following this the sample will be tested in the laboratory area using the MosaiQ™ COVID-19 Antibody Microarray with results available shortly thereafter.

This is the first time that such on demand testing is made available to large employer groups in the UK and hVIVO's equipment has the capability to run 3,000 samples per day, 21,000 per week, 1 million per year. 

hVIVO, the world leader in the testing of vaccines and antivirals through human challenge study clinical trials, is proud to announce that it is offering employer groups the opportunity to provide antibody testing to employees using our Quotient MosaiQ™ COVID-19 Antibody Microarray. These tests have 100% sensitivity for the detection of COVID-19 antibodies. They involve a full blood draw by a nurse or GP, this sets them apart from the lower cost, finger prick, antibody tests which have been proven to be less accurate. In the past week, the Medicines regulator in the UK advised against the use of finger prick antibody tests.

We are also seeking to make testing available through channel partners in the UK and Ireland such as large employer groups, GP networks, nursing services, health clinics and private hospitals and would welcome interest from these groups in becoming a channel partner.

Samples will be tested in the London laboratory with results returned within 48 hours.

Large employer group who wish to have staff tested on demand or on a continuous basis or anyone interested in becoming a channel partner, or part of a GP network, nursing services provider, health clinics or private hospitals, please direct all enquiries to covidclear@hvivo.com.

hVIVO is on the way to becoming a world leading centre of testing COVID-19 vaccines. On 9^th March 2020, the Group announced that it has commenced the development of the world's first commercial human coronavirus challenge study model, also known as a Controlled Human Infection Model (CHIM). hVIVO is utilising common coronavirus strains in these challenge study models, which are from the same family of viruses as COVID-19 virus but unlike COVID-19 these common coronaviruses have been widespread in the community for many years. Consequently, these common coronaviruses, while closely related to the COVID-19 strain can safely be administered to volunteers in hVIVO's highly controlled quarantine clinic, staffed by a highly experienced medical and scientific team.

hVIVO was established in 1989 as a spin out from Queen Mary University, London, hVIVO is a trusted partner and industry-leading clinical development services business pioneering human disease models based upon viral challenge. Using human challenge studies to establish early proof-of-concept, hVIVO's clinical trial platform can accelerate drug and vaccine development in respiratory and infectious disease.

hVIVO conducts studies and provides services for customers, both pharmaceutical and biotech companies, utilising a range of different client trial and laboratory methodologies across differing viral challenges. Experience and know-how from over 50 challenge studies is applied to ensure effective study design and excellent service delivery for customers.

Adam French, Laboratory Operations Director, hVIVO, said:

"We are very proud to be the first UK company to be offering mass COVID-19 antibody testing to large employer groups, GP networks, nursing services, health clinics and private hospitals. Our scientists combined with Quotient's technology are able to run 3,000 samples per day and will help support the UK to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic."

Franz Walt, Chief Executive Officer, Quotient, said:

"Antibody testing is crucial for guidance on immunity, development of vaccinations and potential revaccinations, as well as helping to answer outstanding epidemiological questions about the spread of the virus. We are incredibly proud to be collaborating with hVIVO and Open Orphan in this project and can assure them that we will provide top of the line services alongside our excellent products."

Cathal Friel, Executive Chairman of Open Orphan, which owns hVIVO, said:

"hVIVO is a world class company with best in class scientists and facilities. We are very excited to be offering this service and I am confident our work will help large companies and clinics in the UK test their staff and patients to ensure the safety of all employees. I look forward to updating everyone on our progress in due course."

A link to the high resolution photographs accompanying this release and an FAQ can be found at https://www.openorphan.com/news-and-media/media-press-pack . Please also see Quotient's media kit for background information on the company and for approved imagery at https://www.quotientbd.com/page/media-kit .

Notes to Editors:

Open Orphan is a rapidly growing niche CRO pharmaceutical services company which is a world leader in the testing of vaccines and antivirals through the use of human challenge clinical trials. Conducted from Europe's only 24-bedroom quarantine clinic with onsite virology providing individually isolated rooms and connected to our specialist laboratory facility. Which offers highly specialised virology and immunology laboratory services to support pre-clinical and clinical respiratory drug, antiviral, and vaccine discovery and development.  Reliable laboratory analysis underpinned by scientific expertise is essential when processing and analysing clinical samples. Robust quality processes support our team of scientists in the delivery of submission ready data.

The Company has a leading portfolio of 8 viral challenge study models which are: 2 FLU, 2 RSV, 1 HRV, 1 Asthma, 1 cough and 1 COPD viral challenge models. As announced in early March, Open Orphan is rapidly advancing a number of Coronavirus challenge study models and expects to be helping many COVID-19 vaccine development companies to test their vaccines. No other company in the world has such a portfolio, with only two competitors globally having 1 challenge study model each.

Open Orphan comprises of two commercial specialist CRO services businesses (hVIVO and Venn) and is developing an early stage orphan drug genomics data platform business. This platform captures valuable genetic data from patient populations with specific diseases with designated orphan drug status and incorporating AI tools. In June 2019, Open Orphan acquired AIM-listed Venn Life Sciences Holdings plc in a reverse take-over and in January 2020 it completed the merger with hVIVO plc. Venn, as an integrated drug development consultancy, offers CMC (chemistry, manufacturing and controls), preclinical, Phase I & II clinical trials design and execution. The merger with hVIVO created a European full pharma services company broadening the Company's customer base and with complementary specialist CRO services, widened the range of the Company's service offerings.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1176508/Open_Orphan.jpg

For further information contact: E: covidclear@hvivo.com, W: www.hVIVO.com, @hvivo