Neutralisation sensitivity of the SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.87.1 variant

Sheward, D. J.; Marking, U.; Bladh, O.; Held, S.; Looyens, E.; Vandenabeele, L.; Muschiol, S.; Aguilera, K.; Norin, N. G.; Oling, S.; Westerberg, M.; Martin, D.; Hedestam, G. B. K.; Albert, J.; Thalin, C.; Murrell, B.

doi:10.1101/2024.03.21.586176

bioRxiv · 10.1101/2024.03.21.586176

Neutralisation sensitivity of the SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.87.1 variant

Sheward, D. J.·Marking, U.·Bladh, O.·Held, S.·Looyens, E.·Vandenabeele, L.·Muschiol, S.·Aguilera, K.·Norin, N. G.·Oling, S.·Westerberg, M.·Martin, D.·Hedestam, G. B. K.·Albert, J.·Thalin, C.·Murrell, B.

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Abstract

Against the backdrop of the rapid global takeover and dominance of BA.1/BA.2 and subsequently BA.2.86 lineages, the emergence of a highly divergent SARS-CoV-2 variant warrants characterization and close monitoring. Recently, another such BA.2 descendent, designated BA.2.87.1, was detected in South Africa. Here, we show using spike-pseudotyped viruses that BA.2.87.1 is less resistant to neutralisation by prevailing antibody responses in Sweden than other currently circulating variants such as JN.1. Further we show that a monovalent XBB.1.5-adapted booster enhanced neutralising antibody titers to BA.2.87.1 by almost 4-fold. While BA.2.87.1 may not outcompete other currently-circulating lineages, the repeated emergence and transmission of highly diverged variants suggests that another large antigenic shift, similar to the replacement by Omicron, may be likely in the future.

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Sheward, D. J., Marking, U., Bladh, O., Held, S., Looyens, E., Vandenabeele, L., Muschiol, S., Aguilera, K., Norin, N. G., Oling, S., Westerberg, M., Martin, D., Hedestam, G. B. K., Albert, J., Thalin, C., Murrell, B.. 2024-03-22. Neutralisation sensitivity of the SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.87.1 variant. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.03.21.586176

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