mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2 mRNA vaccines have reduced neutralizing activity against the SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant
Venkata-Viswanadh Edara, Kelly E. Manning, Madison Ellis, Lilin Lai, Kathryn M. Moore, Stephanie L. Foster, Katharine Floyd, Meredith E. Davis-Gardner, Grace Mantus, Lindsay E. Nyhoff, Sarah Bechnak, Ghina Alaaeddine, Amal Naji, Hady Samaha, Matthew Lee, Laurel Bristow, Matthew Gagné, Jesmine Roberts-Torres, Amy R. Henry, Sucheta Godbole, Arash Grakoui, Marybeth Saxton, Anne Piantadosi, Jesse J. Waggoner, Daniel C. Douek, Nadine Rouphael, Jens Wrammert, Mehul S. Suthar
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) omicron variant emerged in November 2021 and consists of several mutations within the spike. We use serum from mRNA-vaccinated individuals to measure neutralization activity against omicron in a live-virus assay. At 2-4 weeks after a primary series of vaccinations, we observe a 30-fold reduction in neutralizing activity against omicron. Six months after the initial two-vaccine doses, sera from naive vaccinated subjects show no neutralizing activity against omicron. In contrast, COVID-19-recovered individuals 6 months after receiving the primary series of vaccinations show a 22-fold reduction, with the majority of the subjects retaining neutralizing antibody responses. In naive individuals following a booster shot (third dose), we observe a 14-fold reduction in neutralizing activity against omicron, and over 90% of subjects show neutralizing activity. These findings show that a third dose is required to provide robust neutralizing antibody responses against the omicron variant.