Dublin-listed pharmaceutical company Open Orphan has said the first three volunteers have now successfully completed the quarantine phase of their 'Covid-19 characterisation study' with no safety concerns presented and have been discharged from the unit.
Following approval last month, hVIVO, a subsidiary of Open Orphan, began the study at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust earlier this month.
The company said the study will now progress to the next group of volunteers.
It said the first three volunteers will continue their study participation with follow up visits and monitoring for a period of up to one year.
Open Orphan said the virus characterisation study will inoculate up to 90 volunteers, between the ages of 18 and 30 years old, to enable identification of the most appropriate dose of the virus needed to cause Covid-19 infection in a safe and controlled environment.
The study is funded by the UK Government and Imperial College London is the clinical study sponsor.
It said the study is conducted by hVIVO at the Royal Free Hospital, under the scrutiny of highly trained scientists and medics.
The virus being used in the characterisation study has been produced under hVIVO's supervision by a team at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust in London, with support from virologists at Imperial College London.
Chief Scientific Officer at hVIVO, Dr Andrew Catchpole, said they are pleased to announce that the first three volunteers in the study have now successfully completed the quarantine phase.
"These volunteers will continue to be monitored post-study for up to 1 year.
"Throughout their stay at the Royal Free Hospital in London, the volunteers are closely monitored by our highly trained team of clinician," he said.
