Cited by 82SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 ResearchAnimal Virus Infections Studiesvaccines and immunoinformatics approaches

Immunogenicity and efficacy of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine MRT5500 in preclinical animal models

Open access
Kalnin, Kirill V., Plitnik, Timothy, Kishko, Michael, Zhang, Jinrong, Zhang, Donghui, Beauvais, Adrien, Anosova, Natalie G., Tibbitts, Tim +30 more·2021·npj Vaccines

Abstract

Abstract Emergency use authorization of COVID vaccines has brought hope to mitigate pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, there remains a need for additional effective vaccines to meet the global demand and address the potential new viral variants. mRNA technologies offer an expeditious path alternative to traditional vaccine approaches. Here we describe the efforts to utilize an mRNA platform for rational design and evaluations of mRNA vaccine candidates based on the spike (S) glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2. Several mRNA constructs of S-protein, including wild type, a pre-fusion stabilized mutant (2P), a furin cleavage-site mutant (GSAS) and a double mutant form (2P/GSAS), as well as others, were tested in animal models for their capacity to elicit neutralizing antibodies (nAbs). The lead 2P/GSAS candidate was further assessed in dose-ranging studies in mice and Cynomolgus macaques, and for efficacy in a Syrian golden hamster model. The selected 2P/GSAS vaccine formulation, designated MRT5500, elicited potent nAbs as measured in neutralization assays in all three preclinical models and more importantly, protected against SARS-CoV-2-induced weight loss and lung pathology in hamsters. In addition, MRT5500 elicited TH1-biased responses in both mouse and non-human primate (NHP), thus alleviating a hypothetical concern of potential vaccine-associated enhanced respiratory diseases known associated with TH2-biased responses. These data position MRT5500 as a viable vaccine candidate for entering clinical development.

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  • Loss-of-function modification or deletion of the furin cleavage site of the S protein in vaccine development can be beneficial.

    “Consequently, a loss-of-function modification or deletion of the furin cleavage site of the S protein in vaccine development can be beneficial.70,71”

    From COVID-19 mRNA vaccines: Platforms and current developments (2022) · cites this paper as [70]

  • Preclinical trials showed MRT5500 induced a Th1-biased immune response in mice and non-human primates and prevented Th2-bias response which can induce vaccine-related enhanced respiratory disease (VAERD).

    “Results of preclinical trials showed that MRT5500 induced a Th1-biased immune response in mice and non-human primates and prevented Th2-bias response which can induce vaccine-related enhanced respiratory disease (VAERD).433–435”

    From Advances in COVID-19 mRNA vaccine development (2022) · cites this paper as [434]

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Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. [16]Yu J DNA vaccine protection against SARS-CoV-2 in rhesus macaques DNA vaccine protection against SARS-CoV-2 in rhesus Science 2020 369 806 811 32434945 PMC7243363
  2. [35]Hsien CL Structure-based design of prefusion-stabilized SARS-CoV-2 spikes Science 2020 369 1501 1505 32703906 PMC7402631
  3. [67]Sambrook, J. & Russel, D. W. Molecular Cloning. Laboratory Manual 3rd edn, Vol. 1 (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 2001).

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Authors
Kalnin, K. V., Plitnik, T., Kishko, M., Zhang, J., Zhang, D., Beauvais, A., Anosova, N. G., Tibbitts, T., DiNapoli, J., Ulinski, G., Piepenhagen, P., Cummings, S. M., Bangari, D. S., Ryan, S., Huang, P.-W. D., Huleatt, J., Vincent, D., Fries, K., Karve, S., Goldman, R., Gopani, H., Dias, A., Tran, K., Zacharia, M., Gu, X., Boeglin, L., Abysalh, J., Vargas, J., Beaulieu, A., Shah, M., Jeannotte, T., Gillis, K., Chivukula, S., Swearingen, R., Landolfi, V., Fu, T.-M., DeRosa, F., & Casimiro, D.
Affiliations
  • Translate Bio (United States) (US)
  • Sanofi (France) (FR)
Corresponding author
Kalnin, Kirill V.
Venue
npj Vaccines
Published
2021-04-19
Volume
6
Issue
1
Pages
61-61
ISSN
2059-0105 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3156536898
Cited by
82
References
70
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 30 · 2021: 15
FWCI
5.46
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • npj Vaccines (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • Sanofi
  • Sanofi Pasteur
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Animal Science and Zoology › Animal Virus Infections Studies
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › vaccines and immunoinformatics approaches
Keywords
mRNA vaccines, SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, neutralizing antibodies, vaccine immunogenicity, vaccine efficacy, Syrian golden hamster model, cynomolgus macaques, Th1 response, COVID-19 vaccines

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