Effective vaccination strategy using SARS-CoV-2 spike cocktail against Omicron and other variants of concern

The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant harbors more than 30 mutations in its spike (S) protein. Circulating Omicron subvariants, particularly BA5 and other variants of concern (VOCs), show increased resistance to COVID-19 vaccines that target the original S protein, calling for an urgent need for effective vaccines to prevent multiple SARS-CoV-2 VOCs. Here, we evaluated the neutralizing activity and protection conferred by a BA1-S subunit vaccine when combined with or used as booster doses after, administration of wild-type S protein (WT-S). A WT-S/BA1-S cocktail, or WT-S prime and BA1-S boost, induced significantly higher neutralizing antibodies against pseudotyped Omicron BA1, BA2, BA2.12.1, and BA5 subvariants, and similar or higher neutralizing antibodies against the original SARS-CoV-2, than the WT-S protein alone. The WT-S/BA1-S cocktail also elicited higher or significantly higher neutralizing antibodies than the WT-S-prime-BA1-S boost, WT-S alone, or BA1-S alone against pseudotyped SARS-CoV-2 Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta VOCs, and SARS-CoV, a closely related beta-coronavirus using the same receptor as SARS-CoV-2 for viral entry. By contrast, WT-S or BA1-S alone failed to induce potent neutralizing antibodies against all these viruses. Similar to the WT-S-prime-BA1-S boost, the WT-S/BA1-S cocktail completely protected mice against the lethal challenge of a Delta variant with negligible weight loss. Thus, we have identified an effective vaccination strategy that elicits potent, broadly, and durable neutralizing antibodies against circulating SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants, other VOCs, original SARS-CoV-2, and SARS-CoV. These results will provide useful guidance for developing efficacious vaccines that inhibit current and future SARS-CoV-2 variants to control the COVID-19 pandemic.

Automated summary

This study evaluated the neutralizing activity and protection provided by a BA1-S subunit vaccine in combination with or as a booster dose after administration of wild-type S protein. The results showed that the vaccine elicited high levels of neutralizing antibodies and provided protection against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants and related coronaviruses. This provides useful guidance for developing effective vaccines to control the COVID-19 pandemic.