Humoral serological response to the BNT162b2 vaccine is abrogated in lymphoma patients within the first 12 months following treatment with anti-CD2O antibodies
Ronit Gurion,
Uri Rozovski,
Gilad Itchaki,
Anat Gafter-Gvili,
Chiya Leibovitch,
Pia Raanani,
Haim Ben-Zvi,
Moran Szwarcwort,
Mor Taylor-Abigadol,
Eldad J. Dann,
Nurit Horesh,
Tsofia Inbar,
Inna Tzoran,
Noa Lavi,
Riva Fineman,
Shimrit Ringelstein-Harlev,
Netanel A. Horowitz
Affiliations
Ronit Gurion
Institute of Hematology, Davidoff Center, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petach Tikva, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Aviv University, Aviv, Israel
Uri Rozovski
Institute of Hematology, Davidoff Center, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petach Tikva, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Aviv University, Aviv, Israel
Gilad Itchaki
Institute of Hematology, Davidoff Center, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petach Tikva, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Aviv University, Aviv, Israel
Anat Gafter-Gvili
Institute of Hematology, Davidoff Center, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petach Tikva, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Aviv University, Aviv, Israel; Medicine A, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petach Tikva, Israel
Chiya Leibovitch
Institute of Hematology, Davidoff Center, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petach Tikva, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Aviv University, Aviv, Israel
Pia Raanani
Institute of Hematology, Davidoff Center, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petach Tikva, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Aviv University, Aviv, Israel
Haim Ben-Zvi
Institute of Hematology, Davidoff Center, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petach Tikva, Israel
Moran Szwarcwort
Virology Laboratory, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel
Mor Taylor-Abigadol
Department of Hematology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel
Eldad J. Dann
Department of Hematology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel; The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
Nurit Horesh
Department of Hematology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel
Tsofia Inbar
Department of Hematology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel
Inna Tzoran
Department of Hematology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel; The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
Noa Lavi
Department of Hematology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel; The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
Riva Fineman
Department of Hematology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel
Shimrit Ringelstein-Harlev
Department of Hematology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel; The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
Netanel A. Horowitz
Department of Hematology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel; The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
Patients with lymphoma, especially those treated with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies, suffer high COVID-19-associated morbidity and mortality. The goal of this study was to assess the ability of lymphoma patients to generate a sufficient humoral response after two injections of BNT162b2 Pfizer vaccine and to identify factors influencing the response. Antibody titers were measured with the SARS-CoV-2 IgG II Quant (Abbott ) assay in blood samples drawn from lymphoma patients 4 2 weeks after the second dose of vaccine. The cutoff for a positive response was set at 50 AU/mL. Positive serological responses were observed in 51% of the 162 patients enrolled in this cross-sectional study. In a multivariate analysis, an interval of 1 year after this therapy. The latter percentage was equal to that of patients never exposed to monoclonal antibodies. In conclusion, lymphoma patients, especially those recently treated with anti- CD20 monoclonal antibodies, fail to develop sufficient humoral response to BNT162b2 vaccine. While a serological response is not the only predictor of immunity, its low level could make this population more vulnerable to COVID-19, which implies the need for a different vaccination schedule for such patients.
