Beta-variant Recombinant Booster Vaccine Elicits Broad Cross-reactive Neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 Including Omicron Variants

Overview

Journal Heliyon

Specialty Social Sciences

Date 2024 Mar 15

PMID 38486776

Authors

Delphine Planas

Lin Peng

Lingyi Zheng

Florence Guivel-Benhassine

Isabelle Staropoli

Francoise Porrot

Timothee Bruel

Jinal N Bhiman

Matthew Bonaparte

Stephen Savarino

Guy de Bruyn

Roman M Chicz

Penny L Moore

Olivier Schwartz

Saranya Sridhar

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: SARS-CoV-2 Omicron lineage contains variants with multiple sequence mutations relative to the ancestral strain particularly in the viral spike gene. These mutations are associated inter alia with loss of neutralization sensitivity to sera generated by immunization with vaccines targeting ancestral strains or prior infection with circulating (non-Omicron) variants. Here we present a comparison of vaccine formulation elicited cross neutralization responses using two different assay readouts from a subpopulation of a Phase II/III clinical trial.

Methods: Human sera from a Phase II/III trial (NCT04762680) was collected and evaluated for neutralizing responses to SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen protein vaccines formulated with AS03 adjuvant, following a primary series of two-doses of ancestral strain vaccine in individuals who were previously unvaccinated or as an ancestral or variant strain booster vaccine among individuals previously vaccinated with the mRNA BNT162b2 vaccine.

Results: We report that a neutralizing response to Omicron BA.1 is induced by the two-dose primary series in 89% of SARS-CoV-2-seronegative individuals. A booster dose of each vaccine formulation raises neutralizing antibody titers that effectively neutralizes Omicron BA.1 and BA.4/5 variants. Responses are highest after the monovalent Beta variant booster and similar in magnitude to human convalescent plasma titers.

Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest the possibility to generate greater breadth of cross-neutralization to more recently emerging viral variants through use of a diverged spike vaccine in the form of a Beta variant booster vaccine.

Citing Articles

The role of convalescent plasma and hyperimmune immunoglobulins in the COVID-19 pandemic, including implications for future preparedness.

So-Osman C, Burnouf T, Al-Riyami A, Bloch E, Estcourt L, Goel R Front Immunol. 2024; 15:1448720.

PMID: 39315108 PMC: 11416983. DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1448720.

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