Longitudinal analysis of B- and T-cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 recombinant S-protein vaccine S-268019-b in phase 1/2 priming and booster study

The durability of vaccine-induced immune memory to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is crucial for preventing infection, especially severe disease. This follow-up report after homologous booster vaccination in a phase 1/2 study of S-268019-b (a recombinant spike protein vaccine) confirms the long-term safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity. Booster vaccination of S-268019-b resulted in an enhancement of serum neutralizing antibody (NAb) titers and a broad range of viral neutralization. Single-cell immune profiling revealed persistent and mature antigen-specific memory B cells and T follicular helper cells, with increased B-cell receptor diversity. The expansion of B- and T-cell repertoires and cross-reactive NAbs targeting conserved epitopes within the receptor-binding domain following a booster, accounted for the broad-spectrum neutralizing activity. These finding highlights the potential of S-268019-b to provide broad and robust protection against a range of SARS-CoV-2 variants, addressing a critical challenge in the ongoing fight against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).