Concurrent human antibody and TH1 type T-cell responses elicited by a COVID-19 RNA vaccine

• DOI: 10.1101/2020.07.17.20140533
• Publication Date: 2020-07-20T16:15:25Z
• Authors: Ugur Sahin; Alexander Muik; Evelyna Derhovane...; Isabel Vogler; Lena M. Kranz; Mathias Vormehr; Alina Baum; Kristen Pascal; Jasmin Quandt; Daniel Maurus; Sebastian Brachte...; Verena Lörks; Julian Sikorski; Rolf Hilker; Dirk Becker; Ann-Kathrin Eller; Jan Grützner; Carsten Boesler; Corinna Rosenbaum; Marie-Cristine Kü...; Ulrich Luxemburger; Alexandra Kemmer-...; David Langer; Martin Bexon; Stefanie Bolte; Katalin Karikó; Tania Palanche; Boris Fischer; Armin Schultz; Pei-Yong Shi; Camila Fontes-Gar...; John L. Perez; Kena A. Swanson; Jakob Loschko; Ingrid L. Scully; Mark Cutler; Warren Kalina; Christos A. Kyrat...; David Cooper; Philip R. Dormitzer; Kathrin U. Jansen; Özlem Türeci
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; 03 medical and health sciences; 3. Good health

An effective vaccine is needed to halt the spread of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Recently, we reported safety, tolerability and antibody response data from an ongoing placebo-controlled, observer-blinded phase 1/2 COVID-19 trial with BNT162b1, a lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulated nucleoside-modified messenger RNA encoding receptor binding domain (RBD) spike protein. Here present T cell responses after BNT162b1 vaccination second, non-randomized open-label in healthy adults, 18-55 years age. Two doses 1 50 µg elicited robust CD4 + CD8 strong responses, RBD-binding IgG concentrations clearly above those convalescent human serum panel (HCS). Day 43 neutralising geometric mean titers were 0.7-fold (1 µg) 3.5-fold (50 HCS. Immune sera broadly neutralised pseudoviruses diverse variants. Most participants had H skewed immune RBD-specific expansion. Interferon (IFN)γ was produced by high fraction cells. The antibody, T-cell favourable cytokine induced mRNA suggest multiple beneficial mechanisms potential protect against COVID-19.