Frontiers in Immunology (Jan 2023)

SARS-CoV-2 spike HexaPro formulated in aluminium hydroxide and administered in an accelerated vaccination schedule partially protects Syrian Hamsters against viral challenge despite low neutralizing antibody responses

  • Dennis Christensen,
  • Charlotta Polacek,
  • Daniel J. Sheward,
  • Leo Hanke,
  • Gerald McInerney,
  • Ben Murrell,
  • Katrine Top Hartmann,
  • Henrik Elvang Jensen,
  • Julie Zimmermann,
  • Gregers Jungersen,
  • Kristin Engelhart Illigen,
  • Louise Krag Isling,
  • Carlota Fernandez-Antunez,
  • Carlota Fernandez-Antunez,
  • Santseharay Ramirez,
  • Santseharay Ramirez,
  • Jens Bukh,
  • Jens Bukh,
  • Gabriel Kristian Pedersen

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.941281
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14

Abstract

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SARS-CoV-2 continues to pose a threat to human health as new variants emerge and thus a diverse vaccine pipeline is needed. We evaluated SARS-CoV-2 HexaPro spike protein formulated in Alhydrogel® (aluminium oxyhydroxide) in Syrian hamsters, using an accelerated two dose regimen (given 10 days apart) and a standard regimen (two doses given 21 days apart). Both regimens elicited spike- and RBD-specific IgG antibody responses of similar magnitude, but in vitro virus neutralization was low or undetectable. Despite this, the accelerated two dose regimen offered reduction in viral load and protected against lung pathology upon challenge with homologous SARS-CoV-2 virus (Wuhan-Hu-1). This highlights that vaccine-induced protection against SARS-CoV-2 disease can be obtained despite low neutralizing antibody levels and suggests that accelerated vaccine schedules may be used to confer rapid protection against SARS-CoV-2 disease.

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