AUTHOR=Volkmann Ariane , Koopman Gerrit , Mooij Petra , Verschoor Ernst J. , Verstrepen Babs E. , Bogers Willy M. J. M. , Idorn Manja , Paludan Søren R. , Vang Søren , Nielsen Morten A. , Sander Adam F. , Schmittwolf Carolin , Hochrein Hubertus , Chaplin Paul TITLE=A Capsid Virus-Like Particle-Based SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Induces High Levels of Antibodies and Protects Rhesus Macaques JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology VOLUME=13 YEAR=2022 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2022.857440 DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2022.857440 ISSN=1664-3224 ABSTRACT=

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a worldwide pandemic. Here, we present non-human primate immunogenicity and protective efficacy data generated with the capsid virus-like particle (cVLP)-based vaccine ABNCoV2 that has previously demonstrated immunogenicity in mice. In rhesus macaques, a single vaccination with either 15 or 100 μg ABNCoV2 induced binding and neutralizing antibodies in a dose-dependent manner, at levels comparable to those measured in human convalescents. A second vaccine administration led to a >50-fold increase in neutralizing antibodies, with 2-log higher mean levels in the 100-μg ABNCoV2 group compared with convalescent samples. Upon SARS-CoV-2 challenge, a significant reduction in viral load was observed for both vaccine groups relative to the challenge control group, with no evidence of enhanced disease. Remarkably, neutralizing antibody titers against an original SARS-CoV-2 isolate and against variants of concern were comparable, indicating a potential for broad protection afforded by ABNCoV2, which is currently in clinical testing.