Efficacy of a Broadly Neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 Ferritin Nanoparticle Vaccine in Nonhuman Primates

• Published in: bioRxiv 2021-03
• Main Authors: Joyce, Michael G, Hannah Ad King, Naouar, Ines Elakhal, Aslaa Ahmed, Peachman, Kristina K, Cincotta, Camila M, Subra, Caroline, Chen, Rita E, Thomas, Paul V, Wei-Hung, Chen, Sankhala, Rajeshwer S, Hajduczki, Agnes, Martinez, Elizabeth J, Peterson, Caroline E, Chang, William C, Choe, Misook, Smith, Clayton, Lee, Parker J, Headley, Jarrett A, Taddese, Mekdi G, Elyard, Hanne A, Cook, Anthony, Anderson, Alexander, Mcguckin-Wuertz, Kathryn, Dong, Ming, Swafford, Isabella, Case, James B, Currier, Jeffrey R, Lal, Kerri G, O'connell, Robert J, Molnar, Sebastian, Nair, Manoj S, Dussupt, Vincent, Daye, Sharon P, Zeng, Xiankun, Barkei, Erica K, Staples, Hilary M, Alfson, Kendra, Carrion, Ricardo, Krebs, Shelly J, Paquin-Proulx, Dominic, Karasavva, Nicos, Polonis, Victoria R, Jagodzinski, Linda L, Amare, Mihret F, Vasan, Sandhya, Scott, Paul T, Huang, Yaoxing, Ho, David D, De Val, Natalia, Diamond, Michael S, Lewis, Mark G, Rao, Mangala, Matyas, Gary R, Gromowski, Gregory D, Peel, Sheila A, Michael, Nelson L, Bolton, Diane L, Modjarrad, Kayvon
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: CD4 antigen; Coronaviridae; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Ferritin; Immune response; Immunogenicity; Lymphocytes T; Nanoparticles; Parenchyma; Primates; Respiration; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Vaccines
• DOI: 10.1101/2021.03.24.436523

The emergence of novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants stresses the continued need for next-generation vaccines that confer broad protection against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We developed and evaluated an adjuvanted SARS-CoV-2 Spike Ferritin Nanoparticle (SpFN) vaccine in nonhuman primates. High-dose (50 mcg) SpFN vaccine, given twice within a 28 day interval, induced a Th1-biased CD4 T cell helper response and a peak neutralizing antibody geometric mean titer of 52,773 against wild-type virus, with activity against SARS-CoV-1 and minimal decrement against variants of concern. Vaccinated animals mounted an anamnestic response on high-dose SARS-CoV-2 respiratory challenge that translated into rapid elimination of replicating virus in their upper and lower airways and lung parenchyma. The potent and broad immunogenicity profile of this vaccine and its resulting efficacy in NHPs supports its utility as a candidate platform for SARS-like betacoronaviruses. Competing Interest Statement M. Gordon Joyce and Kayvon Modjarrad are primary co-inventors on pending patents for material presented in this manuscript.