Irish firm to inoculate volunteers with Covid-19 in first 'human challenge' trial

The initial 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 infection.

A Dublin pharmaceutical services firm is to begin inoculating healthy volunteers with controlled doses of the coronavirus in the world’s first Covid-19 characterisation study.

hVIVO, a subsidiary of Dublin-based Open Orphan, has received approval from a specially convened Research Ethics Committee to carry out the Covid-19 “human challenge” study which is being backed by the UK government.