Immunogenicity of a 2-Dose Regimen of Moderna mRNA Beta/Omicron BA.1 Bivalent Variant Vaccine Boost in a Randomized Clinical Trial.

We compared the serologic responses of 1 dose versus 2 doses of a variant vaccine (Moderna mRNA-1273 Beta/Omicron BA.1 bivalent vaccine) in adults. A 2-dose boosting regimen with a variant vaccine did not increase the magnitude or the durability of the serological responses compared to a single variant vaccine boost.

Safety and Immunogenicity of a monovalent inactivated influenza A/H5N8 virus vaccine given with and without AS03 or MF59 adjuvants in healthy adults.

BACKGROUND: Avian influenza A/H5N8 virus infections have been circulating widely in wild and domestic bird populations with transmission to a few human poultry workers. This phase 1, randomized, blinded trial evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of a monovalent inactivated influenza A/H5N8 virus vaccine (H5N8 IIV) given with and without AS03 or MF59 adjuvants. METHODS: 275 healthy adults, ages 19-64 years, were randomized to one of five groups to receive two doses of 15 µg unadjuvanted influenza A/gyrfalcon/Washington/41088-6/2014(H5N8) (clade 2.3.4.4c) virus vaccine or two doses of 7.5 or 15 µg of vaccine adjuvanted with AS03 or MF59. Immunogenicity was assessed through 21 days following the second dose of vaccine using hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) and microneutralization (MN) assays for the homologous influenza A/H5N8 and three heterologous influenza A/H5 viruses. Safety was assessed through 1 year. RESULTS: The vaccines were well tolerated. Only modest immune responses were seen following receipt of a single dose of vaccine. Seroprotection (HAI titers ≥40) was more common in groups that received AS03 plus 7.5 or 15 µg of vaccine (89% and 93%, respectively) compared to the MF59-adjuvanted groups (56% and 73%), while unadjuvanted vaccine showed a poor response (27%). Higher antigen content resulted in modestly improved immune responses. HAI and MN GMTs and seroconversion rates were low across all study groups for all three heterologous strains of influenza A/H5 virus. CONCLUSIONS: AS03 or MF59-adjuvanted H5N8 IIV generated strong immunogenic responses following two doses. There was poor cross-reactivity for the three antigenically drifted H5N1 strains tested.

Immunogenicity of the BA.1 and BA.4/BA.5 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Bivalent Boosts: Preliminary Results From the COVAIL Randomized Clinical Trial.

In a randomized clinical trial, we compare early neutralizing antibody responses after boosting with bivalent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines based on either BA.1 or BA.4/BA.5 Omicron spike protein combined with wild-type spike. Responses against SARS-CoV-2 variants exhibited the greatest reduction in titers against currently circulating Omicron subvariants for both bivalent vaccines.

Five Percent Monolaurin Vaginal Gel for the Treatment of Bacterial Vaginosis: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that 5% monolaurin vaginal gel, a naturally occurring monoglyceride shown to have antimicrobial effects on vaginal pathogens without affecting Lactobacillus species, cures bacterial vaginosis (BV). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a multicenter, double-blinded, randomized controlled trial comparing 5% monolaurin vaginal gel to vehicle placebo (glycol-based) gel administered twice daily for 3 days. Nonpregnant, nonbreastfeeding women between ages 18 and 50 years were recruited and BV confirmed. Primary outcome was clinical cure assessed by resolution of all 4 Amsel criteria. Secondary outcomes included safety and tolerability assessed by solicited urogenital adverse events. Exploratory outcomes included colony counts for vaginal microbes associated with healthy vaginal flora (Lactobacillus species) and the dysbiosis often associated with BV (Gardnerella species and Mobiluncus species). A 2:1 test article to placebo randomization scheme was planned. RESULTS: One hundred nine women participated with 73 randomized to the treatment arm and 36 to the placebo arm. There was no significant difference in clinical cure for BV (p = .42) with 17% of the monolaurin group and 25% of the placebo group achieving clinical cure. Lactobacilli species counts increased in the monolaurin group compared with placebo (1.0 × 10 vs -5.2 × 10). Two thirds of both groups reported solicited urogenital adverse events, but these were mild to moderate with no significant difference between groups (p = .24). CONCLUSIONS: Monolaurin was no more clinically or microbiologically effective than placebo in curing BV. Future research should explore whether monolaurin may be used to increase Lactobacilli species.

Priming Vaccination With Influenza Virus H5 Hemagglutinin Antigen Significantly Increases the Duration of T cell Responses Induced by a Heterologous H5 Booster Vaccination.

BACKGROUND: Influenza A(H5N1) virus and other avian influenza virus strains represent major pandemic threats. Like all influenza A virus strains, A(H5N1) viruses evolve rapidly. Innovative immunization strategies are needed to induce cross-protective immunity. METHODS: Subjects primed with clade 1 H5 antigen, with or without adjuvant, and H5-naive individuals were boosted with clade 2 H5 antigen. The impact of priming on T cells capable of both proliferation and cytokine production after antigen restimulation was assessed. RESULTS: Subjects previously vaccinated with clade 1 H5 antigen developed significantly enhanced clade 2 H5 cross-reactive T cell responses detectable 6 months after vaccination with clade 2 H5 antigen. Priming dose (15 µg vs 45 or 90 µg) had no effect on magnitude of heterotypic H5 T cell responses. In contrast, age at priming negatively modulated both the magnitude and duration of heterotypic H5 T cell responses. Elderly subjects developed significantly less heterotypic H5 T cell boosting, predominantly for T cells capable of cytokine production. Adjuvant had a positive albeit weaker effect than age. The magnitude of CD4(+) interferon-γ producing T cells correlated with H5 antibody responses. CONCLUSIONS: H5 heterotypic priming prior to onset of an A(H5N1) pandemic may increase magnitude and duration of immunity against a newly drifted pandemic H5 virus.

Increased Mortality Rates Associated with Staphylococcus aureus and Influenza Co-infection, Maryland and Iowa, USA(1).

We retrospectively analyzed data for 195 respiratory infection patients who had positive Staphyloccocus aureus cultures and who were hospitalized in 2 hospitals in Iowa and Maryland, USA, during 2003-2009. Odds for death for patients who also had influenza-positive test results were >4 times higher than for those who had negative influenza test results.

Safety and Immunogenicity of a Subvirion Monovalent Unadjuvanted Inactivated Influenza A(H3N2) Variant Vaccine in Healthy Persons ≥18 Years Old.

BACKGROUND: Variant influenza A(H3N2) viruses (H3N2v) have transmitted recently from pigs to humans in the United States. Vaccines strategies are needed. METHODS: Healthy adults received 2 doses of subvirion H3N2v vaccine (15 µg of hemagglutinin/dose) 21 days apart in this open-label trial. Serum hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) and neutralizing (Neut) antibody (Ab) titers were measured before and 8 and 21 days after each dose. Memory B-cell (MBC) responses were assessed. RESULTS: Vaccine was well tolerated. A total of 40% of subjects had an HAI Ab titer of ≥40 before vaccination. Eight-seven percent (95% confidence interval [CI], 79%-93%) and 73% (95% CI, 63%-81%) of subjects 18-64 years old (98 subjects) and ≥65 years old (90 subjects), respectively, had an HAI titer of ≥40 21 days after dose 1 (P = .01); 51% (95% CI, 41%-61%) and 52% (95% CI, 41%-62%) of younger and older subjects, respectively, developed ≥4-fold rises in titer (P = not significant). Neut Ab response patterns were similar. Geometric mean titers were higher in younger subjects. Dose 2 provided no significant enhancement in responses. Cross-reactive MBCs were detected before vaccination and expanded after vaccination. Preexisting H3N2v-specific MBCs positively correlated with early increases in vaccine-induced Ab. CONCLUSIONS: In most healthy adults, one 15-µg dose of vaccine elicited levels of HAI Abs associated with protection. Studies in children and elderly individuals are indicated to define the immunization needs of these groups. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT01746082.

Safety and Immunogenicity of a Single Low Dose or High Dose of Clade 2 Influenza A(H5N1) Inactivated Vaccine in Adults Previously Primed With Clade 1 Influenza A(H5N1) Vaccine.

Influenza A(H5N1) vaccination strategies that improve the speed of the immunological response and cross-clade protection are desired. We compared the immunogenicity of a single 15-µg or 90-µg dose of A/H5N1/Indonesia/05/05 (clade 2) vaccine in adults who were previously primed with A/H5N1/Vietnam/1203/2004 (clade 1) vaccine. High-dose vaccine resulted in significantly higher titers to both clade 1 and 2 antigens. Clade 2 titers were unaffected by the previous dose of clade 1 vaccine. Low-dose priming with a mismatched pandemic influenza A(H5N1) vaccine would improve the rapidity, magnitude, and cross-reactivity of the immunological response following a single high-dose, unadjuvanted, pandemic vaccine.

Safety and immunological outcomes following human inoculation with nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae.

BACKGROUND: Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) exclusively infects humans, causing significant numbers of upper respiratory tract infections. The goal of this study was to develop a safe experimental human model of NTHi nasopharyngeal colonization. METHODS: A novel streptomycin-resistant strain of NTHi was developed, and 15 subjects were inoculated in an adaptive-design phase I trial to rapidly identify colonizing doses of NTHi. Bayesian analysis was used to estimate the human colonizing dose 50 and 90 (HCD50 and HCD90, respectively). Side effects and immunological responses to whole-cell sialylated NTHi were measured. RESULTS: Nine subjects were colonized and tolerated colonization well. Immunological analyses demonstrated that 7 colonized subjects and 0 noncolonized subjects had a 4-fold rise in serum levels of immunoglobulin A, immunoglobulin M, or immunoglobulin G. Preexisting immunity to whole-cell NTHi did not predict success or failure of colonization. CONCLUSIONS: The statistical design incorporated a slow escalation to higher dose levels. HCD50 and HCD90 Bayesian estimates were identified as approximately 2000 and 150 000 colony-forming units, respectively; credible interval estimates were broad. This study provides a potential platform for early proof of concept studies for NTHi vaccines, as well as a way to evaluate bacterial factors associated with colonization.

Analysis of nontypeable haemophilus influenzae phase-variable genes during experimental human nasopharyngeal colonization.

BACKGROUND: Studies of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) have demonstrated that a number of genes associated with infectivity have long repeat regions associated with phase variation in expression of the respective gene. The purpose of this study was to determine the genes that underwent phase variation during a 6-day period of experimental human nasopharyngeal colonization. METHODS: Strain NTHi 2019Str(R)1 was used to colonize the nasopharynx of human subjects in a study of experimental colonization. Thirteen phase-variable genes were analyzed in NTHi 2019Str(R)1. Samples of NTHi 2019Str(R)1 were cultured from subjects during the 6-day colonization period. We used capillary electrophoresis and Roche 454 pyrosequencing to determine the number of repeats in each gene from each sample. RESULTS: A significant number of samples switched licA and igaB from phase off in the inoculated strain to phase on during the 4-day period of observation. lex2A also showed variability as compared to baseline, but the differences were not significant. The remaining genes showed no evidence of phase variation. CONCLUSIONS: Our studies suggest that the phase-on genotypes of licA and igaB are important for early human nasopharynx colonization. lex2A showed a trend from phase off to phase on, suggesting a potentially important role in the colonization process.

Immunogenicity and safety of varying dosages of a fifth-wave influenza A/H7N9 inactivated vaccine given with and without AS03 adjuvant in healthy adults.

BACKGROUND: Human infections with the avian influenza A(H7N9) virus were first reported in China in 2013 and continued to occur in annual waves. In the 2016/2017 fifth wave, Yangtze River Delta (YRD) lineage viruses, which differed antigenically from those of earlier waves, predominated. METHODS: In this phase 2 double-blinded trial we randomized 720 adults ≥ 19 years of age to receive two injections of a YRD lineage inactivated A/Hong Kong/125/2017 fifth-wave H7N9 vaccine, given 21 days apart, at doses of 3.75, 7.5, and 15 µg of hemagglutinin (HA) with AS03A adjuvant and at doses of 15 and 45 µg of HA without adjuvant. RESULTS: Two doses of adjuvanted vaccine were required to induce HA inhibition (HI) antibody titers ≥ 40 in most participants. After two doses of the 15 µg H7N9 formulation, given with or without AS03 adjuvant, the proportion achieving a HI titer ≥ 40 against the vaccine strain at 21 days after the second vaccination was 65 % (95 % CI, 57 %-73 %) and 0 % (95 % CI, 0 %-4%), respectively. Among those who received two doses of the 15 µg adjuvanted formulation the proportion with HI titer ≥ 40 at 21 days after the second vaccination was 76 % (95 % CI, 66 %-84 %) in those 19-64 years of age and 49 % (95 % CI, 37 %-62 %) in those ≥ 65 years of age. Responses to the adjuvanted vaccine formulations did not vary by HA content. Antibody responses declined over time and responses against drifted H7N9 strains were diminished. Overall, the vaccines were well tolerated but, as expected, adjuvanted vaccines were associated with more frequent solicited systemic and local adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: AS03 adjuvant improved the immune responses to an inactivated fifth-wave H7N9 influenza vaccine, particularly in younger adults, but invoked lower responses to drifted H7N9 strains. These findings may inform future influenza pandemic preparedness strategies.

Establishment of human post-vaccination SARS-CoV-2 standard reference sera.

There is a critical need to understand the effectiveness of serum elicited by different SARS-CoV-2 vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 variants. We describe the generation of reference reagents comprised of post-vaccination sera from recipients of different primary vaccines with or without different vaccine booster regimens in order to allow standardized characterization of SARS-CoV-2 neutralization in vitro. We prepared and pooled serum obtained from donors who received a either primary vaccine series alone, or a vaccination strategy that included primary and boosted immunization using available SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines (BNT162b2, Pfizer and mRNA-1273, Moderna), replication-incompetent adenovirus type 26 vaccine (Ad26.COV2·S, Johnson and Johnson), or recombinant baculovirus-expressed spike protein in a nanoparticle vaccine plus Matrix-M adjuvant (NVX-CoV2373, Novavax). No subjects had a history of clinical SARS-CoV-2 infection, and sera were screened with confirmation that there were no nucleocapsid antibodies detected to suggest natural infection. Twice frozen sera were aliquoted, and serum antibodies were characterized for SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binding (estimated WHO antibody binding units/ml), spike protein competition for ACE-2 binding, and SARS-CoV-2 spike protein pseudotyped lentivirus transduction. These reagents are available for distribution to the research community (BEI Resources), and should allow the direct comparison of antibody neutralization results between different laboratories. Further, these sera are an important tool to evaluate the functional neutralization activity of vaccine-induced antibodies against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. IMPORTANCE: The explosion of COVID-19 demonstrated how novel coronaviruses can rapidly spread and evolve following introduction into human hosts. The extent of vaccine- and infection-induced protection against infection and disease severity is reduced over time due to the fall in concentration, and due to emerging variants that have altered antibody binding regions on the viral envelope spike protein. Here, we pooled sera obtained from individuals who were immunized with different SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and who did not have clinical or serologic evidence of prior infection. The sera pools were characterized for direct spike protein binding, blockade of virus-receptor binding, and neutralization of spike protein pseudotyped lentiviruses. These sera pools were aliquoted and are available to allow inter-laboratory comparison of results and to provide a tool to determine the effectiveness of prior vaccines in recognizing and neutralizing emerging variants of concern.

Long-term risk for readmission, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection, and death among MRSA-colonized veterans.

While numerous studies have assessed the outcomes of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) colonization over the short term, little is known about longer-term outcomes after discharge. An assessment of long-term outcomes could provide information about the utility of various MRSA prevention approaches. A matched-cohort study was performed among Veterans Affairs (VA) patients screened for MRSA colonization between the years 2007 and 2009 and followed to evaluate outcomes until 2010. Cox proportional-hazard models were used to evaluate the association between MRSA colonization and long-term outcomes, such as infection-related readmission and crude mortality. A total of 404 veterans were included, 206 of whom were MRSA carriers and 198 of whom were noncarriers. There were no culture-proven MRSA infections on readmission among the noncarriers, but 13% of MRSA carriers were readmitted with culture-proven MRSA infections on readmission (P < 0.01). MRSA carriers were significantly more likely to be readmitted, to be readmitted more than once due to proven or probable MRSA infections, and to be readmitted within 90 days of discharge than noncarriers (P < 0.05). Infection-related readmission (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 4.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.16 to 7.67) and mortality (adjusted HR = 2.71; 95% CI, 1.87 to 3.91) were significantly higher among MRSA carriers than among noncarriers after statistically adjusting for potential confounders. Among a cohort of VA patients, MRSA carriers are at high risk of infection-related readmission, MRSA infection, and mortality compared to noncarriers. Noncarriers are at very low risk of subsequent MRSA infection. Future studies should address whether interventions such as nasal or skin decolonization could result in improved outcomes for MRSA carriers.

Higher antigen content improves the immune response to 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine in HIV-infected adults: a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: The immunogenicity of a high hemagglutinin (HA) dose or a second dose of influenza vaccine in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals has not been fully explored. METHODS: One hundered ninety-two HIV-infected individuals aged 18-64 years were stratified by CD4 cell count (<200 cells/mL or ≥200 cells/mL) and randomized to receive 2 doses of 15 µg or 30 µg HA 2009 H1N1 vaccine 21 days apart. Hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) and microneutralization (MN) antibodies were measured on days 0, 10, 21, 31, 42, and 201. RESULTS: Recipients of 30 µg HA had significantly higher HAI geometric mean titers (GMTs), compared with recipients of 15 µg HA on days 10 (139.0 vs 51.9; P = .01), 21 (106.7 vs 51.9; P = .001), and 31 (130.0 vs 73.7; P = .03) but not on days 42 (91.8 vs 61.6; P = .11) and 201 (43.0 vs 27.0; P = .08). When analyzed by CD4 cell count stratum, HAI GMTs were significantly higher among 30 µg HA recipients than among 15 µg HA in the CD4 cell count <200 cells/mL stratum on days 21 and 31 and the MN GMTs on days 10, 21, 31, and 42 (P < .05). In the CD4 cell count ≥200 cells/mL stratum, MN GMTs were significantly higher among recipients of 30 µg HA than among recipients of 15 µg HA on day 10 (P = .03). CONCLUSION: Increasing the HA dose of the 2009 H1N1 vaccine improves the vaccine's immunogenicity in HIV-infected individuals. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT00992433.

Safety and immune responses in children after concurrent or sequential 2009 H1N1 and 2009-2010 seasonal trivalent influenza vaccinations.

BACKGROUND: Administering 2 separate vaccines for seasonal and pandemic influenza was necessary in 2009. Therefore, we conducted a randomized trial of monovalent 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine (2009 H1N1 vaccine) and seasonal trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV; split virion) given sequentially or concurrently in previously vaccinated children. METHODS: Children randomized to 4 study groups and stratified by age received 1 dose of seasonal TIV and 2 doses of 2009 H1N1 vaccine in 1 of 4 combinations. Injections were given at 21-day intervals and serum samples for hemagglutination inhibition antibody responses were obtained prior to and 21 days after each vaccination. Reactogenicity and adverse events were monitored. RESULTS: All combinations of vaccines were safe in the 531 children enrolled. Generally, 1 dose of 2009 H1N1 vaccine and 1 dose of TIV, regardless of sequence or concurrency of administration, was immunogenic in children ≥ 10 years of age; children <10 years of age required 2 doses of 2009 H1N1 vaccine. CONCLUSIONS: Vaccines were generally well tolerated. The immune responses to 2009 H1N1 vaccine were adequate regardless of the sequence of vaccination in all age groups but the sequence affected titers to TIV antigens. Two doses of 2009 H1N1 vaccine were required to achieve a protective immune response in children <10 years of age. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT00943202.

Research unit network (RUN) as a learning research system.

The clinical research units (CRUs) are one of the main spaces where both translational research and science take place. However, there is a lack of information about both best practices for CRU operations and, ultimately, benchmarks to evaluate CRU performance. The Research Unit Network (RUN) was created with the purpose to enable direct communication and collaboration among CRUs. An online survey was administered to further illustrate the functionality and impact of RUN. Thirty-one individual survey responses (39.2%) were included in the final analysis. The members value RUN monthly meetings (87.1%) as the most useful aspect of this network and CRU budgeting (67.7%) and staffing (61.3%) were the most relevant topics discussed. This is followed by EPIC - Research (58.1%), delegation of authority logs, unit signatures, and policies (51.6%), COVID-19 pandemic response (41.9%), the implementation of clinical trial management system (29.0%), and protocol deviations (19.4%). The intermediate goal of RUN is to identify best practices CRUs are establishing, implementing, and sharing these experiences with the goal to adopt them in different CRUs. The network's long-term goal is to establish standard benchmarks that can be used for evaluating the performance of CRUs across the nation.

Population Pharmacokinetics of Piperacillin/Tazobactam Across the Adult Lifespan.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Piperacillin/tazobactam is one of the most frequently used antimicrobials in older adults. Using an opportunistic study design, we evaluated the pharmacokinetics of piperacillin/tazobactam as a probe drug to evaluate changes in antibacterial drug exposure and dosing requirements, including in older adults. METHODS: A total of 121 adult patients were included. The population pharmacokinetic models that best characterized the observed plasma concentrations of piperacillin and tazobactam were one-compartment structural models with zero-order input and linear elimination. RESULTS: Among all potential covariates, estimated creatinine clearance had the most substantial impact on the elimination clearance for both piperacillin and tazobactam. After accounting for renal function and body size, there was no remaining impact of frailty on the pharmacokinetics of piperacillin and tazobactam. Monte Carlo simulations indicated that renal function had a greater impact on the therapeutic target attainment than age, although these covariates were highly correlated. Frailty, using the Canadian Study of Health and Aging Clinical Frailty Scale, was assessed in 60 patients who were ≥ 65 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: The simulations suggested that adults ≤ 50 years of age infected with organisms with higher minimum inhibitory concentrations may benefit from continuous piperacillin/tazobactam infusions (12 g/day of piperacillin component) or extended infusions of 4 g every 8 hours. However, for a target of 50% fT + minimum inhibitory concentration, dosing based on renal function is generally preferable to dosing by age, and simulations suggested that patients with creatinine clearance ≥ 120 mL/min may benefit from infusions of 4 g every 8 hours for organisms with higher minimum inhibitory concentrations.

Comparison of bivalent and monovalent SARS-CoV-2 variant vaccines: the phase 2 randomized open-label COVAIL trial.

Vaccine protection against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection wanes over time, requiring updated boosters. In a phase 2, open-label, randomized clinical trial with sequentially enrolled stages at 22 US sites, we assessed safety and immunogenicity of a second boost with monovalent or bivalent variant vaccines from mRNA and protein-based platforms targeting wild-type, Beta, Delta and Omicron BA.1 spike antigens. The primary outcome was pseudovirus neutralization titers at 50% inhibitory dilution (ID50 titers) with 95% confidence intervals against different SARS-CoV-2 strains. The secondary outcome assessed safety by solicited local and systemic adverse events (AEs), unsolicited AEs, serious AEs and AEs of special interest. Boosting with prototype/wild-type vaccines produced numerically lower ID50 titers than any variant-containing vaccine against all variants. Conversely, boosting with a variant vaccine excluding prototype was not associated with decreased neutralization against D614G. Omicron BA.1 or Beta monovalent vaccines were nearly equivalent to Omicron BA.1 + prototype or Beta + prototype bivalent vaccines for neutralization of Beta, Omicron BA.1 and Omicron BA.4/5, although they were lower for contemporaneous Omicron subvariants. Safety was similar across arms and stages and comparable to previous reports. Our study shows that updated vaccines targeting Beta or Omicron BA.1 provide broadly crossprotective neutralizing antibody responses against diverse SARS-CoV-2 variants without sacrificing immunity to the ancestral strain. ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT05289037 .

Immunogenicity of a Two Dose Regimen of Moderna mRNA Beta/Omicron BA.1 Bivalent Variant Vaccine Boost in a Randomized Clinical Trial.

In this brief report, we compare the magnitude and durability of the serologic response of one versus two doses (separated by 56 days) of a variant vaccine (Moderna mRNA-1273 Beta/Omicron BA.1 bivalent vaccine) in adults.

Immunogenicity of the BA.1 and BA.4/BA.5 SARS-CoV-2 Bivalent Boosts: Preliminary Results from the COVAIL Randomized Clinical Trial.

In a randomized clinical trial, we compare early neutralizing antibody responses after boosting with bivalent SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines based on either BA.1 or BA.4/BA.5 Omicron spike protein combined with wildtype spike. Responses against SARS-CoV-2 variants exhibited the greatest reduction in titers against currently circulating Omicron subvariants for both bivalent vaccines.