Yesterday I had yet another Covid 19 booster vaccination. This must be my sixth or seventh. This was using the Moderna vaccine and no side effects noticed. I have yet to catch Covid which is somewhat surprising as I have a compromised immune system.
I have a flu vaccination lined up for next week, and one for RSV next month. The NHS now has a programme of vaccinating older people against RSV. I also have Denosumab injections every six months to prevent osteoporosis. It’s a good job I have no fear of needles.
These are all high-tech medical solutions which one hopes have been adequately tested. The company hVIVO (HVO) specialises in “human challenge trials” where they get volunteers who are happy to be infected and are treated with the chosen drugs as a prophylactic.
They have revenue of over £60 million and are profitable. They have a good return on capital and even pay a small dividend. The company does have some competitors but they do seem to be building a profitable niche.
I have purchased a very few shares so I can keep an eye on the progress of the business. But with new viruses constantly appearing it does seem likely that demand for such testing services will grow.
There is also on-going demand for effective influenza vaccines – a disease which still kills many people – particularly the young and old.
Roger Lawson (Twitter: https://twitter.com/RogerWLawson )