March 23, 2021

Reduced Neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 Variant by Convalescent and Vaccine Sera

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Vaccines and Immunity

Keywords (Tags): antibodies, vaccines

• The B.1.1.7 variant has a 7-fold higher binding affinity to the angiotensin converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) receptor in human cells than a parent SARS-CoV-2 strain isolated from Wuhan, suggesting a mechanism for the rapid emergence of this variant. Serum from individuals vaccinated with either the Pfizer-BioNTech or the Oxford-AstraZeneca and serum recovered from infection with the Wuhan strain, had only a modest 2-3-fold reduction in neutralization titers against the B.1.1.7 variant. Sera obtained from B.1.1.7-infected individuals show no reduction in titers against the parent strain compared to the B.1.1.7 variant.

Supasa et al. (Feb 18, 2021). Reduced Neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 Variant by Convalescent and Vaccine Sera. Cell. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2021.02.033