Immunological evaluation of an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in rhesus macaques

Chen, Hongbo; Xie, Zhongping; Long, Runxiang; Fan, Shengtao; Li, Heng; He, Zhanlong; Xu, Kanwei; Liao, Yun; Wang, Lichun; Zhang, Ying; Li, Xueqi; Dong, Xingqi; Mou, Tangwei; Zhou, Xiaofang; Yang, Yaoyun; Guo, Lei; Yang, Jianbo; Zheng, Huiwen; Xu, Xingli; Li, Jing; Liang, Yan; Li, Dandan; Zhao, Zhimei; Hong, Chao; Zhao, Heng; Jiang, Guorun; Che, Yanchun; Yang, Fengmei; Hu, Yunguang; Wang, Xi; Pu, Jing; Ma, Kaili; Wang, Lin; Cheng, Chen; Duan, Weiguo; Shen, Dong; Zhao, Hongling; Jiang, Ruiju; Deng, Xinqiang; Li, Yan; Zhu, Hailian; Zhou, Jian; Yu, Li; Xu, Mingjue; Yang, Huijuan; Yi, Li; Zhou, Zhenxin; Yang, Jiafang; Duan, Nan; Yang, Huan; Zhao, Wangli; Yang, Wei; Li, Changgui; Liu, Longding; Li, Qihan

Because of the relatively limited understanding of COVID-19 pathogenesis, immunological analysis for vaccine development is needed. Mice and macaques were immunized with an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine prepared by two inactivators. Various immunological indexes were tested, and viral challenges were performed on day 7 or 150 after booster immunization in monkeys. This inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine was produced by sequential inactivation with formaldehyde followed by propiolactone. The various antibody responses and specific T cell responses to different viral antigens elicited in immunized animals were maintained for longer than 150 days. This comprehensive immune response could effectively protect vaccinated macaques by inhibiting viral replication in macaques and substantially alleviating immunopathological damage, and no clinical manifestation of immunopathogenicity was observed in immunized individuals during viral challenge. This candidate inactivated vaccine was identified as being effective against SARS-CoV-2 challenge in rhesus macaques.