Viruses (Jan 2022)

Spike Gene Evolution and Immune Escape Mutations in Patients with Mild or Moderate Forms of COVID-19 and Treated with Monoclonal Antibodies Therapies

  • Aude Jary,
  • Stéphane Marot,
  • Antoine Faycal,
  • Sacha Leon,
  • Sophie Sayon,
  • Karen Zafilaza,
  • Emna Ghidaoui,
  • Stéphanie Nguyen Quoc,
  • Safaa Nemlaghi,
  • Sylvain Choquet,
  • Martin Dres,
  • Valérie Pourcher,
  • Vincent Calvez,
  • Helga Junot,
  • Anne-Geneviève Marcelin,
  • Cathia Soulié

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/v14020226
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14, no. 2
p. 226

Abstract

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We explored the molecular evolution of the spike gene after the administration of anti-spike monoclonal antibodies in patients with mild or moderate forms of COVID-19. Four out of the 13 patients acquired a mutation during follow-up; two mutations (G1204E and E406G) appeared as a mixture without clinical impact, while the Q493R mutation emerged in two patients (one receiving bamlanivimab and one receiving bamlanivimab/etesevimab) with fatal outcomes. Careful virological monitoring of patients treated with mAbs should be performed, especially in immunosuppressed patients.

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