Rethinking clinical research: The case for human challenge trials
Deliberately infecting healthy volunteers with a disease might seem counterintuitive in clinical research, but human challenge trials are attracting growing attention across the industry as researchers look for faster, more precise ways to evaluate vaccines and treatments for infectious diseases.
In this exclusive video interview, Andrew Catchpole, chief scientific officer at hVIVO, sits down with pharmaphorum’s Deep Dive editor Eloise McLennan to unpack exactly how these studies work and how they differ from traditional trial methods.
Unlike field studies, which rely on naturally occurring infections in large populations, human challenge trials deliberately expose carefully selected volunteers to a pathogen under tightly controlled conditions. As Catchpole explains, this means that teams can deliver detailed insights into disease progression, immune response, and drug efficacy in a fraction of the time required for conventional studies.
But with innovation comes complexity. Alongside the scientific opportunities, Catchpole addresses some of the most common misconceptions surrounding the field, as well as the practical and ethical realities behind challenge trials.
Watch the full video now to hear Catchpole's insights into one of clinical research's most compelling and fast-evolving methodologies.
About the interviewee
Dr Andrew Catchpole is hVIVO's chief scientific officer. He is an expert in respiratory virology and controlled human infection models. After completing his DPhil at the University of Oxford, Dr Catchpole worked in R&D at GE Healthcare before joining hVIVO, where he has led the development of multiple viral challenge models including influenza, RSV, HRV, SARS-CoV-2, and hMPV. Dr Catchpole has overseen the design and conduct of numerous antiviral, immunomodulator, and vaccine efficacy studies. As chief scientific officer, he leads scientific strategy, provides consultancy on study design and laboratory analysis, and oversees hVIVO’s challenge agent manufacturing programmes.
About hVIVO
hVIVO is a full-service early phase CRO offering end-to-end drug development services from preclinical consultancy through to Phase III clinical trials, including world leading end-to-end human challenge trials services. With decades of experience in rapidly delivering data for our global client base, our team brings together strategic insight and operational expertise to deliver a variety of clinical study types across multiple locations.
To support rapid study start-up and reliable delivery, our dedicated recruitment teams in Germany and the UK provide direct access to both healthy volunteers and patient populations. This is complemented by our integrated drug development consultancy as well as our infectious disease and immunology laboratories and biobanking services.
Learn more about how hVIVO is helping to drive innovation in cardiometabolic research through deep expertise, advanced diagnostics, and end-to-end clinical support.
