Open Orphan is only firm in world running human challenge studies with coronavirus.
Step into the foyer of the Whitechapel Hotel in London and it seems no different from any other business. But venture further in, and it becomes clear that something very strange is going on in this former textile factory.
Biohazard signs on each floor warn observers not to enter. Next to the double beds in the bright and modern en suite rooms are white trolleys containing swabs, vials, gloves and other medical paraphernalia. Peepholes on the doors are not there so that guests can look out into the corridor.
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).