Flu & Influenza
The history of the flu dates to as far as humankind. Familiar symptoms of the flu were first recorded around 400BC by Hippocrates, a Turkish seasonal winter to spring respiratory ailment that resulted in coughs, fevers, sore throats. Although these records illustrate similar symptoms, we will never be fully certain if this was influenza. The common cold and flu are caused in varying severity by about 200 different viral infections.
The term influenza originates from Italy in the 1400s; this was after the ‘Influence of the Stars’ epidemic raged across Europe, Asia and Africa. Over 31 potential outbreaks were recorded between 1404 – 1900, resulting in thousands of deaths.
Open Orphan (LON:ORPH) was founded in 2017, with the goal of rapidly building Europe’s leading pharma services company by a management team with extensive industry and financial expertise. The company comprises of two commercial specialist CRO services businesses (Venn Life Sciences and hVIVO) and is also developing a genomics data platform business (Genomic Health Data).