Development of a COVID Vaccine Model in NHP

National Institute Of Allergy And Infectious Diseases

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

Over the past year we have focused on how mucosal vaccination influences immunity and protection against Omicron variants of concerned compared to conventional mRNA boosting. For these studies, NHP are immunized with mRNA 1273 as the standard primary vaccine and then boosted several months later with either a bivalent mRNA vaccine by the IM route or a replication defective viral vaccine given by a device that focuses the delivery to the nasal mucosa or lung. Immune responses are then assessed from blood, nasal washes and BAL to understand how the different vaccines and delivery approaches alter antibody and T cell responses. Both IgG and IgA responses are assessed. Challenge is then done with the latest variant of concern (XBB 1.5) several months after the final boost to establish whether the vaccines provide durable protection against infection in the nasal wash or lung.