Single-dose AAV-based vaccine induces a high level of neutralizing antibodies and provides long-term protection against SARS-CoV-2 in rhesus macaques

ABSTRACT

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is triggered by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, continues to threaten global public health. Developing a vaccine that only requires single immunization but provides long-term protection for the prevention and control of COVID-19 is important. Here, we developed an adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based vaccine expressing a stable receptor-binding domain (SRBD) protein. The vaccine requires only a single shot but provides effective neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) over 598 days in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Importantly, our results showed that the NAbs were kept in high level and long lasting against authentic wild-type SARS-CoV-2, Beta, Delta and Omicron variants using plaque reduction neutralization test. Of note, although we detected pre-existing AAV2/9 antibodies before immunization, the vaccine still induced high and effective NAbs against COVID-19 in rhesus macaques. AAV-SRBD immune serum also efficiently inhibited the binding of ACE2 with RBD in the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 (Alpha), B.1.351 (Beta), P.1/P.2 (Gamma), B.1.617.2 (Delta), B.1.617.1/3(Kappa), and C.37 (Lambda) variants. Thus, these data suggest that the vaccine has great potential to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2.