International Journal of Infectious Diseases (Sep 2024)

Immunogenicity, reactogenicity, and safety of a second booster with BNT162b2 or full-dose mRNA-1273: A randomized VACCELERATE trial in adults aged ≥75 years (EU-COVAT-1-AGED Part B)

  • Jannik Stemler,
  • Lusine Yeghiazaryan,
  • Christoph Stephan,
  • Kristin Greve-Isdahl Mohn,
  • Antonio-José Carcas-Sansuan,
  • Esperanza Romero Rodriguez,
  • José Moltó,
  • Itziar Vergara Mitxeltorena,
  • Tobias Welte,
  • Birutė Zablockienė,
  • Murat Akova,
  • Ullrich Bethe,
  • Sarah Heringer,
  • Jon Salmanton-García,
  • Julia Jeck,
  • Lea Tischmann,
  • Marouan Zarrouk,
  • Arnd Cüppers,
  • Lena M. Biehl,
  • Jan Grothe,
  • Sibylle C. Mellinghoff,
  • Julia A. Nacov,
  • Julia M. Neuhann,
  • Rosanne Sprute,
  • Jesús Frías-Iniesta,
  • Riya Negi,
  • Colette Gaillard,
  • Gurvin Saini,
  • Alejandro García León,
  • Patrick W.G. Mallon,
  • Christine Lammens,
  • An Hotterbeekx,
  • Katherine Loens,
  • Surbhi Malhotra-Kumar,
  • Herman Goossens,
  • Samir Kumar-Singh,
  • Franz König,
  • Martin Posch,
  • Philipp Koehler,
  • Oliver A. Cornely

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 146
p. 107161

Abstract

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Objectives: To assess the safety and immunogenicity of a fourth vaccination (second booster) in individuals aged ≥75 years. Methods: Participants were randomized to BNT162b2 (Comirnaty, 30 µg) or messenger RNA (mRNA)-1273 (Spikevax, 100 µg). The primary end point was the rate of two-fold antibody titer increase 14 days after vaccination, targeting the receptor binding domain (RBD) region of wild-type SARS-CoV-2. The secondary end points included changes in neutralizing activity against wild-type and 25 variants. Safety was assessed by monitoring solicited adverse events (AEs) for 7 days. Results: A total of 269 participants (mean age 81 years, mRNA-1273 n = 135/BNT162b2 n = 134) were included. Two-fold anti-RBD immunoglobulin (Ig) G titer increase was achieved by 101 of 129 (78%) and 116 of 133 (87%) subjects in the BNT162b2 and the mRNA-1273 group, respectively (P = 0.054). A second booster of mRNA-1273 provided higher anti-RBD IgG geometric mean titer: 21.326 IU/mL (95% confidence interval: 18.235-24.940) vs BNT162b2: 15.181 IU/mL (95% confidence interval: 13.172-17.497). A higher neutralizing activity was noted for the mRNA-1273 group. The most frequent AE was pain at the injection site (51% in mRNA-1273 and 48% in BNT162b2). Participants in the mRNA-1273 group had less vaccine-related AEs (30% vs 39%). Conclusions: A second booster of either BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 provided substantial IgG increase. Full-dose mRNA-1273 provided higher IgG levels and neutralizing capacity against SARS-CoV-2, with similar safety profile for subjects of advanced age.

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