Cell Research, 15 July, 2021, DOI：https://doi.org/10.1038/s41422-021-00531-8

Interferon-armed RBD dimer enhances the immunogenicity of RBD for sterilizing immunity against SARS-CoV-2

Shiyu Sun, Yueqi Cai, Tian-Zhang Song, Yang Pu, Lin Cheng, Hairong Xu, Jing Sun, Chaoyang Meng, Yifan Lin, Haibin Huang, Fang Zhao, Silin Zhang, Yu Gao, Jian-Bao Han, Xiao-Li Feng, Dan-Dan Yu, Yalan Zhu, Pu Gao, Haidong Tang, Jincun Zhao, Zheng Zhang, Jiaming Yang, Zhenxiang Hu, Yang-Xin Fu, Yong-Tang Zheng & Hua Peng

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a global crisis, urgently necessitating the development of safe, efficacious, convenient-to-store, and low-cost vaccine options. A major challenge is that the receptor-binding domain (RBD)-only vaccine fails to trigger long-lasting protective immunity if used alone for vaccination. To enhance antigen processing and cross-presentation in draining lymph nodes (DLNs), we developed an interferon (IFN)-armed RBD dimerized by an immunoglobulin fragment (I-R-F). I-R-F efficiently directs immunity against RBD to DLNs. A low dose of I-R-F induces not only high titers of long-lasting neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) but also more comprehensive T cell responses than RBD. Notably, I-R-F provides comprehensive protection in the form of a one-dose vaccine without an adjuvant. Our study shows that the pan-epitope modified human I-R-F (I-P-R-F) vaccine provides rapid and complete protection throughout the upper and lower respiratory tracts against a high-dose SARS-CoV-2 challenge in rhesus macaques. Based on these promising results, we have initiated a randomized, placebo-controlled, phase I/II trial of the human I-P-R-F vaccine (V-01) in 180 healthy adults, and the vaccine appears safe and elicits strong antiviral immune responses. Due to its potency and safety, this engineered vaccine may become a next-generation vaccine candidate in the global effort to overcome COVID-19.

Article link：https://www.nature.com/articles/s41422-021-00531-8