Two-component spike nanoparticle vaccine protects macaques from SARS-CoV-2 infection
Philip J. M. Brouwer, Mitch Brinkkemper, Pauline Maisonnasse, Nathalie Dereuddre‐Bosquet, Marloes Grobben, Mathieu Claireaux, Marlon de Gast, Romain Marlin, Virginie Chesnais, Ségolène Diry, Joel D. Allen, Yasunori Watanabe, Julia M. Giezen, Gius Kerster, Hannah L. Turner, Karlijn van der Straten, Cynthia A. van der Linden, Yoann Aldon, Thibaut Naninck, Ilja Bontjer, Judith A. Burger, Meliawati Poniman, Anna Z. Mykytyn, Nisreen M.A. Okba, Edith E. Schermer, Mariëlle J. van Breemen, Rashmi Ravichandran, Tom G. Caniels, Jelle van Schooten, Nidhal Kahlaoui, Vanessa Contreras, Julien Lemaître, Catherine Chapon, Raphaël Ho Tsong Fang, Julien Villaudy, Kwinten Sliepen, Yme U. van der Velden, Bart L. Haagmans, Godelieve J. de Bree, Eric Ginoux, Andrew B. Ward, Max Crispin, Neil P. King, Sylvie van der Werf, Marit J. van Gils, Roger Le Grand, Rogier W. Sanders
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic is continuing to disrupt personal lives, global healthcare systems, and economies. Hence, there is an urgent need for a vaccine that prevents viral infection, transmission, and disease. Here, we present a two-component protein-based nanoparticle vaccine that displays multiple copies of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Immunization studies show that this vaccine induces potent neutralizing antibody responses in mice, rabbits, and cynomolgus macaques. The vaccine-induced immunity protects macaques against a high-dose challenge, resulting in strongly reduced viral infection and replication in the upper and lower airways. These nanoparticles are a promising vaccine candidate to curtail the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.