Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

May 6, 2021

BNT162b2 MRNA COVID-19 Vaccine Induces Antibodies of Broader Cross-reactivity than Natural Infection but Recognition of Mutant Viruses Is up to 10-fold Reduced

Category:

Topic:

Keywords (Tags): ,

  • Antibodies induced by the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine had higher binding capacities (avidity) than antibodies induced by natural infection against the receptor binding domain (RBD) containing mutations representative of circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (N501Y, K417N, E484K, and a combination of all three).  Vaccine-induced sera (n=6) had 2.5- to 3-fold reduced binding to a RBD containing the N501Y and K417 mutations when compared to a wild type RBD. Of note, both the RBD with E484K mutation and RBD with all three mutations reduced binding by 10-fold, indicating that E484K mutation (found in the B.1.351 and P.1 variant but not in the B.1.1.7 variant) substantially reduces antibody binding. [EDITORIAL NOTE: An earlier version of this manuscript was summarized as a pre-print in the report on March 16, 2021].

Chang et al. (May 5, 2021). BNT162b2 MRNA COVID-19 Vaccine Induces Antibodies of Broader Cross-reactivity than Natural Infection but Recognition of Mutant Viruses Is up to 10-fold Reduced. Allergy. https://doi.org/10.1111/all.14893