Real-world assessment of immunogenicity in immunocompromised individuals following SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination: a one-year follow-up of the prospective clinical trial COVAXIDResearch in context

Abstract

Summary: Background: Immunocompromised patients have varying responses to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination. However, there is limited information available from prospective clinical trial cohorts with respect to long-term immunogenicity-related responses in these patient groups following three or four vaccine doses, and in applicable cases infection. Methods: In a real-world setting, we assessed the long-term immunogenicity-related responses in patients with primary and secondary immunodeficiencies from the prospective open-label clinical trial COVAXID. The original clinical trial protocol included two vaccine doses given on days 0 and 21, with antibody titres measured at six different timepoints over six months. The study cohort has subsequently been followed for one year with antibody responses evaluated in relation to the third and fourth vaccine dose, and in applicable cases SARS-CoV-2 infection. In total 356/539 patients were included in the extended cohort. Blood samples were analysed for binding antibody titres and neutralisation against the Spike protein for all SARS-CoV-2 variants prevailing during the study period, including Omicron subvariants. SARS-CoV-2 infections that did not require hospital care were recorded through quarterly in-person, or phone-, interviews and assessment of IgG antibody titres against SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid. The original clinical trial was registered in EudraCT (2021-000175-37) and clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04780659). Findings: The third vaccine dose significantly increased Spike IgG titres against all the SARS-CoV-2 variants analysed in all immunocompromised patient groups. Similarly, neutralisation also increased against all variants studied, except for Omicron. Omicron-specific neutralisation, however, increased after a fourth dose as well as after three doses and infection in many of the patient subgroups. Noteworthy, however, while many patient groups mounted strong serological responses after three and four vaccine doses, comparably weak responders were found among patient subgroups with specific primary immunodeficiencies and subgroups with immunosuppressive medication. Interpretation: The study identifies particularly affected patient groups in terms of development of long-term immunity among a larger group of immunocompromised patients. In particular, the results highlight poor vaccine-elicited neutralising responses towards Omicron subvariants in specific subgroups. The results provide additional knowledge of relevance for future vaccination strategies. Funding: The present studies were supported by grants from the Swedish Research Council, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, Nordstjernan AB, Region Stockholm, and Karolinska Institutet.

Keywords

• SARS-CoV-2
• COVID-19
• mRNA vaccine
• Clinical study
• Primary immunodeficiency disease
• HIV