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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2021.11.03.467182

A trimeric NTD and RBD SARS-CoV-2 subunit vaccine induced protective immunity in CAG-hACE2 transgenic mice and rhesus macaques

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to significant public health, economic and social problems. Development of effective vaccines is still a priority to contain the virus and end the global pandemic. In this study, we reported that ReCOV, a recombinant trimeric NTD and RBD two-component SARS-CoV-2 subunit vaccine adjuvanted with BFA03 (an AS03-like squalene adjuvant), induced high levels of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and the circulating variants in mice, rabbits and rhesus macaques. Notably, two-dose immunizations of ReCOV provided complete protection against challenge with SARS-CoV-2 in hACE2 transgenic mice and rhesus macaques, without observable antibody-dependent enhancement of infection. These results support further clinical development of ReCOV and the vaccine is currently being evaluated in a phase I clinical trial in New Zealand (NCT04818801).

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Yu, J., Yao, W., Hu, Y., Wu, S., Li, J., Zhou, H., Hong, K., Chen, J., Liu, L., Lan, K., Zhu, F.-C., Liu, Y.. 2021-11-05. A trimeric NTD and RBD SARS-CoV-2 subunit vaccine induced protective immunity in CAG-hACE2 transgenic mice and rhesus macaques. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.11.03.467182

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