Monkeypox Virus Cross-Neutralizing Antibodies in Clinical Trial Participants Vaccinated With Modified Vaccinia Virus Ankara Encoding Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus Spike Protein

A modified vaccinia virus Ankara-based candidate vaccine against Middle East respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus elicits monkeypox virus neutralizing antibodies after 3 doses in healthy clinical trial participants. Modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) is used as a vaccine against monkeypox virus and as a viral vaccine vector. MVA-MERS-S is a vaccine candidate against Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)-associated coronavirus. Here, we report that cross-reactive monkeypox virus neutralizing antibodies were detectable in only a single study participant after the first dose of MVA-MERS-S vaccine, in 3 of 10 after the second dose, and in 10 of 10 after the third dose.

Automated summary

A modified vaccinia virus Ankara-based vaccine candidate against Middle East respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus can produce neutralizing antibodies against monkeypox virus in healthy participants after three doses. Modified vaccinia virus Ankara is used as a vaccine against monkeypox virus and also as a viral vector. MVA-MERS-S is a vaccine candidate against Middle East respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus. After the first dose of MVA-MERS-S vaccine, only one participant showed cross-reactive monkeypox virus neutralizing antibodies, while three out of ten participants showed them after the second dose, and all ten participants had them after the third dose.