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.
We have world-class expertise in bespoke challenge model development (challenge agent manufacture and characterisation) and a unique portfolio of infectious and respiratory disease models. extensive experience, collected over 25 years of conducting challenge studies, ensures expert scientific guidance and support, effective study design and excellent delivery for pharma and biotech clients.
By combining Venn’s drug development consultancy, clinical trial design and execution and CRS’s Phase I–III trial capabilities with hVIVO’s full spectrum of early clinical development services, we provide seamless support from preclinical studies through to Phase III.
We offer laboratory services through hLAB, based in Canary Wharf, London. hLAB is a highly specialised infectious disease laboratory offering a suite of services to support pre-clinical and clinical drug and vaccine discovery & 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. hLAB, through a subsidiary Cryostore, also offers long term GxP compliant storage solutions for biological samples and compounds ranging from ambient to ultra-low temperatures.
One of our key advantages is access to diverse study participants. FluCamp (UK-based) recruits healthy volunteers for human challenge trials, while CRS (Germany-based) enrols both healthy volunteers and patients for Phase I–III studies, ensuring robust, high-quality data across our early clinical programs.
Challenge Study Models
Years of Combined Service
Number of Studies Completed
Quarantine unit, outpatient unit, laboratories
Canary Wharf, London
Participant screening & outpatient unit
Plumbers Row, London
Venn Life Sciences is an Integrated Drug Development partner offering a unique combination of drug development consultancy, clinical trial design and execution.
CRS is a leading early phase CRO with state-of-the-art research units in Germany, excelling in innovative solutions for early clinical development, from First-in-Human studies to Proof-of-Concept trials in patients.
hLAB is a highly specialised infectious disease and immunology laboratory offering a suite of services to support pre-clinical and drug and vaccine discovery & development.
Through the acquisition of Cryostore™, hLAB have extended their storage offering to the biotech and pharmaceutical industries with locations in London and Cambridge. Crystore™ is a dedicated GxP storage facility for biological and clinical materials in secure temperature-controlled conditions.
Flucamp welcomes participants to take part in our clinical trials under expertly supervised conditions.
hVIVO’s extensive history dates back to the UK Common Cold Unit in Salisbury which ran human challenge trials from 1946 until 1989. Our founder, Prof John Oxford, worked at the Common Cold Unit alongside Dr David Tyrell, and after it closed, went on to setup Retroscreen Virology Limited out of Queens Mary University in 1989.
Retroscreen, renamed hVIVO in 2015 as part of its IPO on the London Stock Exchange (AIM:HVO), is now a full-service early phase CRO and the world leading provider of human challenge trial services, which the broadest portfolio of human challenge models available.
In 2020, hVIVO merged with Venn Life Sciences adding over 25 years of integrated drug development services experience, offering a unique combination of drug development consultancy, clinical trial design and execution.
In 2024, we launched our flagship Canary Wharf site — the world’s largest commercial human challenge trial facility — housing 50 quarantine bedrooms, advanced laboratories, an outpatient unit, and corporate headquarters.
With BSL-3 capability, this site allows us to offer complex trials, advanced laboratory support, and expanded clinical services, while our network of screening sites in London, Mannheim, and Kiel ensures efficient and scalable participant recruitment.
hVIVO launched hLAB standalone services in 2024 following the expansion of its laboratories at Canary Wharf, hLAB is an industry leader in virology and clinical trial support and has been providing laboratory services since 1989. Its capabilities were further enhanced in 2025 through the acquisition of Cryostore, providing long term GxP compliant storage solutions for biological samples and compounds ranging from ambient to ultra-low temperatures.
In 2025 hVIVO acquired CRS Mannheim and Kiel in Germany, contributing over 40 years of early clinical development services, from first-in-human studies to proof-of-concept trials.
Together, the companies offer a full-service solution, from consultancy and drug development, to running phase I First-in-Human studies to human challenge model trials.
At hVIVO, we understand the vital role we play in making infectious and respiratory disease products available to patients faster than otherwise possible, using human challenge trials. With origins dating back to 1947, hVIVO has a long history of scientific research and discovery which has helped to advance global health.
Our most valuable asset is our team, and we strive to promote a diversified and welcoming environment which allows our team to thrive. We are committed to ethical and compliant business practices, from the execution of our clinical trials to our interactions with our volunteers, clients, sponsors, vendors, and investors.
We understand our responsibility to reduce our impact on the environment whenever possible, we strive to minimise our carbon footprint through energy efficiencies, local and sustainable suppliers, and waste reduction.
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