Neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 variants B.1.617.1 and B.1.525 by BNT162b2-elicited sera

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to evolve around the world, generating new variants that are of concern based on their potential for altered transmissibility, pathogenicity, and coverage by vaccines and therapeutics. Here we report that 20 BNT162b2 vaccine-elicited human sera neutralize engineered SARS-CoV-2 with a USA-WA1/2020 genetic background (a virus strain isolated in January 2020) and spike glycoproteins from the newly emerged B.1.617.1 (first identified in India) or B.1.525 (first identified in Nigeria) lineages. Geometric mean plaque reduction neutralization titers against the variant viruses, particularly the B.1.617.1 variant, are lower than the titer against USA-WA1/2020 virus, but all sera tested neutralize the variant viruses at titers of at least 40. The susceptibility of the newly emerged B.1.617.1 and B.1.525 variants to BNT162b2 vaccine-elicited neutralization supports mass immunization as a central strategy to end the COVID-19 pandemic across geographies.

Insight into coronaviruses and natural products-based approach for COVID-19 treatment

“…Approximately 20% of COVID-19 patients have tended to develop acute respiratory distress syndrome, while approximately 26% of patients have required an ICU facility [65] . Several new strains of SARS-CoV-2 including P.1 and P.2 (Brazil); B.1.617, B.1.617.1, B.1.617.2, and B.1.617.3 (India); B.1.525 (Nigeria); P3 (Philippines); B.1.351 (South Africa); B.1.1.7 (UK); B.1.351, B.1.526, B.1.526.1, B.1.427, B.1.429, and P.1 (USA) have been identified in different nations [66] , [67] . Different viral strains have different transmissibility and pathogenicity.…”

“…Different viral strains have different transmissibility and pathogenicity. The B.1.525 and B.1.617.1 strains of SARS-CoV-2 have been designated as variants of interest and variants of concern respectively by the World Health Organization [66] . Although numerous vaccines such as RNA-based Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech; inactivated virus-based BBIBP-CorV, CoronaVac, Covaxin, CoviVac, Minhai-Kangtai, QazVac, and WIBP-CorV; viral vector-based Convidecia, Johnson & Johnson, Oxford-AstraZeneca, Sputnik Light, and Sputnik V; and viral protein subunit-based EpiVacCorona and RBD-Dimer are currently in use for the vaccination [68] .…”

BNT162b2-Elicited Neutralization of Delta Plus, Lambda, and Other Variants

“…2,[8][9][10][11][12][13] However, some variants are less efficiently neutralized than others, with the Beta and Kappa variants showing the greatest decrease to date. 9,10,14 The explosive recent spread of the Delta variant to 119 countries and its association with breakthrough infections in vaccinated people prompted us to examine the closely related Delta plus variants, such as (i) Delta-AY.1 (first detected in India and spread to 32 countries, including the USA); (ii) Delta-AY.2 (first detected in the USA and spread to 7 countries); and (iii)…”