Four SARS-CoV-2 vaccines induce quantitatively different antibody responses against SARS-CoV-2 variants

van Gils, M. J.; Lavell, A. H. A.; van der Straten, K.; Appelman, B.; Bontjer, I.; Poniman, M.; Burger, J. A.; Oomen, M.; Bouhuijs, J. H.; van Vught, L. A.; Slim, M. A.; Schinkel, M.; Wynberg, E.; van Willigen, H. D. G.; Grobben, M.; Tejjani, K.; Snitselaar, J. L.; Caniels, T. G.; Vlaar, A. P. J.; Prins, M.; de Jong, M. D.; de Bree, G.; Sikkens, J. J.; Bomers, M. K.; Sanders, R. W.

Emerging and future SARS-CoV-2 variants may jeopardize the effectiveness of vaccination campaigns. We performed a head-to-head comparison of the ability of sera from individuals vaccinated with either one of four vaccines (BNT162b2, mRNA-1273, AZD1222 or Ad26.COV2.S) to recognize and neutralize the four SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs; Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta). Four weeks after completing the vaccination series, SARS-CoV-2 wild-type neutralizing antibody titers were highest in recipients of BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 (median titers of 1891 and 3061, respectively), and substantially lower in those vaccinated with the adenovirus vector-based vaccines AZD1222 and Ad26.COV2.S (median titers of 241 and 119, respectively). VOCs neutralization was reduced in all vaccine groups, with the largest (5.8-fold) reduction in neutralization being observed against the Beta variant. Overall, the mRNA vaccines appear superior to adenovirus vector-based vaccines in inducing neutralizing antibodies against VOCs four weeks after the final vaccination.