SARS-CoV-2 spike protein mutations: Difference between revisions

While the mutations in B.1.1.7 seem unlikely to make current anti-COVID-19 vaccines less effective, there is more concern regarding the additional mutations in 501.V2<ref name="smc1">[https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-the-south-african-variant/ Expert reaction to the South African variant], Science Media Centre of the UK, January 4, 2021.</ref>. Unfortunately, poor management of COVID-19 and inconsistent therapy maneuvers have favored development of mutations that may evade the initial wave of vaccines<ref name="bieniasz">[https://www.virology.ws/2021/01/05/musings-of-an-anonymous-pissed-off-virologist/ Musings of an anonymous, pissed off virologist] by Paul Bieniasz, Professor at Rockefeller University, January 5, 2021.</ref>. Antibodies in the blood of half of people who have recovered from COVID-19 are unable to neutralize 501.V2<ref name="wibmer">[https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.01.18.427166v1 SARS-CoV-2 501Y.V2 escapes neutralization by South African COVID-19 donor plasma], preprint posted January 19, 2021.</ref>, but other forms of immunity, such as T-cells, may still be protective. On January 28, 2021, Novavax reported that its vaccine, which was 90% effective in the UK, was '''only 50% effective in South Africa''', where ~90% of cases were 501.V2<ref name="novavax1">[https://ir.novavax.com/node/15506/pdf Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine Demonstrates 89.3% Efficacy in UK Phase 3 Trial], posted January 28, 2021 by Novavax.</ref>. Experts believe that present vaccines could be modified for greater effectiveness against these mutants, if necessary, withinin a few months<ref name="smc1" /><ref name="kozlov1" />. Moderna began development of a vaccine modified to combat 501.V2 in January, 2021<ref name="moderna-501.v2">[https://www.businessinsider.com/moderna-to-test-coronavirus-vaccine-to-fight-south-africa-variant-2021-1 Moderna is designing a new version of its COVID-19 shot to fight the variant first found in South Africa] by