RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2 by Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibodies
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 2022.02.15.480166
DO 10.1101/2022.02.15.480166
A1 Zhou, Hao
A1 Tada, Takuya
A1 Dcosta, Belinda M.
A1 Landau, Nathaniel R.
YR 2022
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2022/02/24/2022.02.15.480166.abstract
AB Monoclonal antibody therapy for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection has been highly successful in decreasing disease severity; however, the recent emergence of the heavily mutated Omicron variant has posed a challenge to this treatment strategy. The Omicron variant BA.1 has been found to evade neutralization by several of the therapeutic monoclonal antibodies authorized for emergency use, while Vir-7831 and a cocktail consisting of monoclonal antibodies AZD8895+AZD1061 retain significant neutralizing activity. A newly emerged variant, Omicron BA.2, containing some of the BA.1 mutations plus an additional 6 mutations and 3 deletions, 3 of which lie in the receptor binding domain, has been found to be spreading with increased transmissibility. We report here, using spike protein-pseudotyped lentiviruses, decreased neutralization of BA.2 by several therapeutic monoclonal antibodies but that the mixture of AZD8895+AZD1061 retained substantial neutralizing activity against BA.2.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.