mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2 mRNA vaccines have reduced neutralizing activity against the SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Venkata-Viswanadh Edara, Emory University; Kelly E Manning, Emory University; Madison Ellis, Emory University; Lilin Lai, Emory University; Kathryn M Moore, Emory University; Stephanie L Foster, Emory University; Katharine Floyd, Emory University; Meredith E Davis-Gardner, Emory University; Grace Mantus, Emory University; Lindsay E Nyhoff, Emory University; Sarah Bechnak, Emory University; Ghina Alaaeddine, Emory University; Amal Naji, Emory University; Hady Samaha, Emory University; Matthew Lee, Emory University; Laurel Bristow, Emory University; Matthew Gagne, National Institutes of Health; Jesmine Roberts-Torres, National Institutes of Health; Amy R Henry, National Institutes of Health; Sucheta Godbole, National Institutes of Health; Arash Grakoui, Emory University; Marybeth Saxton, Emory University; Anne Piantadosi, Emory University; Jesse Waggoner, Emory University; Daniel C Douek, National Institutes of Health; Nadine Rouphael, Emory University; Jens Wrammert, Emory University; Mehul Suthar, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2022-02-15
• Publisher: ELSEVIER
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2022.
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100529
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: CELL REPORTS MEDICINE
• Volume: 3
• Issue: 2
• Start Page: 100529
• End Page: 100529
• Grant/Funding Information: This work was supported by grants from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH; P51OD011132, 3U19AI057266-17S1, 1U54CA260563, HHSN272201400004C, and NIH/NIAID CEIRR under contract 75N93021C00017 to Emory University), intramural funding from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, The Oliver S. and Jennie R. Donaldson Charitable Trust, Emory Executive Vice President for Health Affairs Synergy Fund award, Pediatric Research Alliance Center for Childhood Infections and Vaccines and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory-UGA Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance (Atlanta, GA, USA), COVID-Catalyst-I3 Funds from the Woodruff Health Sciences Center and Emory School of Medicine, and Woodruff Health Sciences Center 2020 COVID-19 CURE Award.
• Keywords: Cell Biology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Medicine, Research & Experimental; Science & Technology; Research & Experimental Medicine
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Immunology; Health Sciences, Pathology; Biology, Microbiology

Abstract

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) omicron variant emerged in November 2021 and consists of several mutations within the spike. We use serum from mRNA-vaccinated individuals to measure neutralization activity against omicron in a live-virus assay. At 2–4 weeks after a primary series of vaccinations, we observe a 30-fold reduction in neutralizing activity against omicron. Six months after the initial two-vaccine doses, sera from naive vaccinated subjects show no neutralizing activity against omicron. In contrast, COVID-19-recovered individuals 6 months after receiving the primary series of vaccinations show a 22-fold reduction, with the majority of the subjects retaining neutralizing antibody responses. In naive individuals following a booster shot (third dose), we observe a 14-fold reduction in neutralizing activity against omicron, and over 90% of subjects show neutralizing activity. These findings show that a third dose is required to provide robust neutralizing antibody responses against the omicron variant.