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Stewart-Jones GBE, Elbashir SM, Wu K, Lee D, Renzi I, Ying B, Koch M, Sein CE, Choi A, Whitener B, Garcia-Dominguez D, Henry C, Woods A, Ma L, Montes Berrueta D, Avena LE, Quinones J, Falcone S, Hsiao CJ, Scheaffer SM, Thackray LB, White P, Diamond MS, Edwards DK, Carfi A. Domain-based mRNA vaccines encoding spike protein N-terminal and receptor binding domains confer protection against SARS-CoV-2. Sci Transl Med 2023; 15:eadf4100. [PMID: 37703353 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adf4100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
With the success of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019, strategies can now focus on improving vaccine potency, breadth, and stability. We designed and evaluated domain-based mRNA vaccines encoding the wild-type spike protein receptor binding domain (RBD) or N-terminal domain (NTD) alone or in combination. An NTD-RBD-linked candidate vaccine, mRNA-1283, showed improved antigen expression, antibody responses, and stability at refrigerated temperatures (2° to 8°C) compared with the clinically available mRNA-1273, which encodes the full-length spike protein. In BALB/c mice administered mRNA-1283 as a primary series, booster, or variant-specific booster, similar or greater immune responses from viral challenge were observed against wild-type, beta, delta, or omicron (BA.1) viruses compared with mRNA-1273-immunized mice, especially at lower vaccine dosages. K18-hACE2 mice immunized with mRNA-1283 or mRNA-1273 as a primary series demonstrated similar degrees of protection from challenge with SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron variants at all vaccine dosages. These results support clinical assessment of mRNA-1283, which has now entered clinical trials (NCT05137236).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kai Wu
- Moderna, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Diana Lee
- Moderna, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | | | - Baoling Ying
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | | | | | | | - Bradley Whitener
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Suzanne M Scheaffer
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Larissa B Thackray
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | | | - Michael S Diamond
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
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Stewart-Jones GBE, Elbashir SM, Wu K, Lee D, Renzi I, Ying B, Koch M, Sein CE, Choi A, Whitener B, Garcia-Dominguez D, Henry C, Woods A, Ma L, Montes Berrueta D, Avena LE, Quinones J, Falcone S, Hsiao CJ, Scheaffer SM, Thackray LB, White P, Diamond MS, Edwards DK, Carfi A. Development of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines encoding spike N-terminal and receptor binding domains. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2022:2022.10.07.511319. [PMID: 36238717 PMCID: PMC9558437 DOI: 10.1101/2022.10.07.511319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
With the success of mRNA vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), strategies can now focus on improving vaccine potency, breadth, and stability. We present the design and preclinical evaluation of domain-based mRNA vaccines encoding the wild-type spike-protein receptor-binding (RBD) and/or N-terminal domains (NTD). An NTD-RBD linked candidate vaccine, mRNA-1283, showed improved antigen expression, antibody responses, and stability at refrigerated temperatures (2-8°C) compared with the clinically available mRNA-1273, which encodes the full-length spike protein. In mice administered mRNA-1283 as a primary series, booster, or variant-specific booster, similar or greater immune responses and protection from viral challenge were observed against wild-type, beta, delta, or omicron (BA. 1) compared with mRNA-1273 immunized mice, especially at lower vaccine dosages. These results support clinical assessment of mRNA-1283 ( NCT05137236 ). One Sentence Summary A domain-based mRNA vaccine, mRNA-1283, is immunogenic and protective against SARS-CoV-2 and emerging variants in mice.
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