The slower antibody response in myelofibrosis patients after two doses of mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine calls for a third dose

ABSTRACT

Immunization with mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccines has been highly recommended and prioritized in fragile categories with higher risk of mortality after COVID-19 disease compared to healthy people, including patients with myelofibrosis (MF). Available data on the vaccine immune response developed by MF patients, and the impact of the treatment with the inhibitor of JAK-STAT signaling ruxolitimib, are still fragmented to support an informed decision for a third dose for this category of subjects. Here, we show that 76% of MF patients develop spike-specific IgG after the second vaccine dose, but the response has a slower kinetic compared to healthy subjects, suggesting a reduced capability of their immune system to promptly react to vaccination. A reduced ACE2/RBD inhibition binding activity of spike-specific antibodies was also observed, especially in ruxolitimib treated patients. Our results contribute to answer the open question on the induction of the antibody responses in MF patients following vaccination with COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, showing a slow kinetic that support the need for a third dose of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines.