lancet-header

Preprints with The Lancet is part of SSRN´s First Look, a place where journals identify content of interest prior to publication. Authors have opted in at submission to The Lancet family of journals to post their preprints on Preprints with The Lancet. The usual SSRN checks and a Lancet-specific check for appropriateness and transparency have been applied. Preprints available here are not Lancet publications or necessarily under review with a Lancet journal. These preprints are early stage research papers that have not been peer-reviewed. The findings should not be used for clinical or public health decision making and should not be presented to a lay audience without highlighting that they are preliminary and have not been peer-reviewed. For more information on this collaboration, see the comments published in The Lancet about the trial period, and our decision to make this a permanent offering, or visit The Lancet´s FAQ page, and for any feedback please contact preprints@lancet.com.

BNT162b2 Vaccination in People Over 80 Years of Age Induces Strong Humoral Immune Responses with Cross Neutralisation of P.1 Brazilian Variant

24 Pages Posted: 31 Mar 2021

See all articles by Helen Marie Parry

Helen Marie Parry

University of Birmingham - Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy

Gokhan Tut

University of Birmingham - Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy

Sian Faustini

University of Birmingham - Clinical Immunology Service

Christine Stephens

University of Birmingham - Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy

Philip Saunders

Quinton and Harborne PCN

Christopher Bentley

University of Birmingham - Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy

Katherine Hilyard

Deparment of Buisness Energy and Industrial Strategy - Vaccine Taskforce

Kevin Brown

Public Health England

Gayatri Amirthalingam

Public Health England - Immunisation and Countermeasures Division

Sue Charlton

Public Health England - National Infection Service

Stephanie Leung

Government of the United Kingdom - National Infection Service

Emily Chiplin

Government of the United Kingdom - National Infection Service

Naomi S. Coombes

Government of the United Kingdom - National Infection Service

Kevin R. Bewley

Government of the United Kingdom - National Infection Service

Elizabeth J. Penn

Government of the United Kingdom - National Infection Service

Cathy Rowe

Public Health England

Ashley Otter

UK Health Security Agency - Rare & Imported Pathogens Laboratory

Rosie Watts

Government of the United Kingdom - National Infection Service

Silvia D’Arcangelo

Government of the United Kingdom - National Infection Service

Bassam Hallis

Public Health England - National Infection Service

Andrew Makin

Oxford Immunotec LTD

Alex G. Richter

University of Birmingham - Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences; University of Birmingham - Clinical Immunology Service

Jianmin Zuo

University of Birmingham - Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy

More...

Abstract

Background: Age is the major risk factor for mortality after SARS-CoV-2 infection and older people have received priority consideration for COVID-19 vaccination. However vaccine responses are often suboptimal in this age group and few people over the age of 80 years were included in vaccine registration trials.

Methods: We determined the serological and cellular response to spike protein in 100 people aged 80-96 years at 2 weeks after second vaccination with the Pfizer BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine.

Findings: Antibody responses were seen in every donor with high titres in 98%. Spike-specific cellular immune responses were detectable in only 63% and correlated with humoral response. Previous SARS-CoV-2 infection substantially increased antibody responses after one vaccine and antibody and cellular responses remained 28-fold and 3-fold higher respectively after dual vaccination. Post-vaccine sera mediated strong neutralisation of live Victoria (Wuhan-like prototype) infection and although neutralisation titres were reduced 14-fold against the P.1 variant first discovered in Brazil they remained largely effective.

Interpretation: These data demonstrate that the mRNA vaccine platform delivers strong humoral immunity in people up to 96 years of age and retains broad efficacy against the P.1 Variant of Concern.

Funding: This work was supported by the UK Coronavirus Immunology Consortium (UK-CIC) funded by DHSC/UKRI and the National Core Studies Immunity programme.

Declaration of Interest: None to declare.

Ethical Approval: The work was performed under the CIA UPH IRAS approval (REC 20\NW\0240) and conducted according to the Declaration of Helsinki and good clinical practice.


Keywords: Vaccination. SARS-CoV-2. COVID. Immunosenescence. Antibody. T-cell. Variant. Neutralisation. Ageing. Immunisation

Suggested Citation

Parry, Helen Marie and Tut, Gokhan and Faustini, Sian and Stephens, Christine and Saunders, Philip and Bentley, Christopher and Hilyard, Katherine and Brown, Kevin and Amirthalingam, Gayatri and Charlton, Sue and Leung, Stephanie and Chiplin, Emily and Coombes, Naomi S. and Bewley, Kevin R. and Penn, Elizabeth J. and Rowe, Cathy and Otter, Ashley and Watts, Rosie and D’Arcangelo, Silvia and Hallis, Bassam and Makin, Andrew and Richter, Alex G. and Zuo, Jianmin, BNT162b2 Vaccination in People Over 80 Years of Age Induces Strong Humoral Immune Responses with Cross Neutralisation of P.1 Brazilian Variant. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3816840 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3816840

Helen Marie Parry (Contact Author)

University of Birmingham - Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy ( email )

Birmingham
United Kingdom

Gokhan Tut

University of Birmingham - Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy

Birmingham
United Kingdom

Sian Faustini

University of Birmingham - Clinical Immunology Service ( email )

United Kingdom

Christine Stephens

University of Birmingham - Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy ( email )

Birmingham
United Kingdom

Philip Saunders

Quinton and Harborne PCN

Quinton
United Kingdom

Christopher Bentley

University of Birmingham - Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy

Birmingham
United Kingdom

Katherine Hilyard

Deparment of Buisness Energy and Industrial Strategy - Vaccine Taskforce

London
United Kingdom

Kevin Brown

Public Health England ( email )

Wellington House,
133-155 Waterloo Rd,
London, SE1 8UG

Gayatri Amirthalingam

Public Health England - Immunisation and Countermeasures Division ( email )

Wellington House
133-155 Waterloo Road
London, SE1 8UG
United Kingdom

Sue Charlton

Public Health England - National Infection Service ( email )

United Kingdom

Stephanie Leung

Government of the United Kingdom - National Infection Service

United Kingdom

Emily Chiplin

Government of the United Kingdom - National Infection Service

United Kingdom

Naomi S. Coombes

Government of the United Kingdom - National Infection Service ( email )

United Kingdom

Kevin R. Bewley

Government of the United Kingdom - National Infection Service ( email )

United Kingdom

Elizabeth J. Penn

Government of the United Kingdom - National Infection Service ( email )

United Kingdom

Cathy Rowe

Public Health England

Wellington House,
133-155 Waterloo Rd,
London, SE1 8UG
02083277520 (Phone)
NW9 5EQ (Fax)

Ashley Otter

UK Health Security Agency - Rare & Imported Pathogens Laboratory ( email )

Rosie Watts

Government of the United Kingdom - National Infection Service ( email )

United Kingdom

Silvia D’Arcangelo

Government of the United Kingdom - National Infection Service ( email )

United Kingdom

Bassam Hallis

Public Health England - National Infection Service ( email )

United Kingdom

Andrew Makin

Oxford Immunotec LTD ( email )

Abingdon
United Kingdom

Alex G. Richter

University of Birmingham - Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences ( email )

Edgbaston
Birminham, Birmingham B152TT
United Kingdom

University of Birmingham - Clinical Immunology Service ( email )

Birmingham
United Kingdom

Jianmin Zuo

University of Birmingham - Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy ( email )

Birmingham
United Kingdom