Despite the increasing global circulation of COVID-19 vaccines, variants of the virus that emerged in late 2020 may hinder the global mission to achieve collective immunity, according to a new study approved for publication in the journal Nature.
The researchers specifically analyze the South African mutation COVID-19, scientifically dubbed B.1.351, analyzing whether or not these pathogens are more resistant to the immune responses induced by the available vaccines.
Samples of biological fluids, namely convalescent plasma and vaccinated sera, were collected and studied for the volume of COVID-19 neutralizing antibodies contained among the volunteers who recovered from a documented infection by COVID-19. This highlights the concern about potential reinfection.
When analyzing sera from vaccinated volunteers – or fluid from individuals who were fully vaccinated – the results were equally dismal; the neutralizing activity was “significantly less” against B.1.351, regardless of the vaccine the patients received.
Moderna’s candidate vaccine was found to be 12.4 times less effective against the South African variant, and Pfizer’s was less than 10.3 times less effective.
A positive aspect may be that both vaccine candidates have resisted the United Kingdom’s COVID-19 variant well.
“The general findings are worrying, especially in light of recent reports that the Novavax and Johnson & Johnson vaccines have shown a substantial drop in effectiveness in South Africa,” the authors concluded.
Originally originating from its South African namesake, B.1.351 spread rapidly across the globe. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 81 confirmed cases in 20 different jurisdictions in the U.S. first known case was detected in the US in January 2021, with official statements from the CDC calling for more research on the variant.
Both the UK and the South African version of COVID-19 observe mutations specifically at the peak protein binding sites, which restricts how antibodies produced by the human immune system can fight the virus.
“If the widespread spread of the virus continues and more critical mutations accumulate, we may be condemned to pursue the continuously evolving SARS-CoV-2, as we have long been doing with the flu virus,” warn the authors. “These considerations require that we stop transmitting the virus as soon as possible, redoubling our mitigation measures and accelerating the vaccine’s release.”
In response to mutations and concerns about the effectiveness of approved vaccines, pharmaceutical companies have published studies to see how the variants develop.
In January, Pfizer announced his vaccine responds well to 16 different mutations. Meanwhile, Moderna announced that it was working on developing a booster vaccine to help fill any gaps that its first vaccine fails to tackle a variant of COVID-19.