RBD-VLP Vaccines Adjuvanted with Alum or SWE Protect K18-hACE2 Mice against SARS-CoV-2 VOC Challenge

Abstract

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has contributed largely to the global vaccine disparity. Development of protein subunit vaccines can help alleviate shortages of COVID-19 vaccines delivered to low-income countries. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of a three-dose virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine composed of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) decorated with the receptor binding domain (RBD) from the Wuhan or Beta SARS-CoV-2 strain adjuvanted with either aluminum hydroxide (alum) or squalene in water emulsion (SWE). RBD HBsAg vaccines were compared to the standard two doses of Pfizer mRNA vaccine. Alum-adjuvanted vaccines were composed of either HBsAg conjugated with Beta RBD alone (b RBD HBsAg1Al) or a combination of both Beta RBD HBsAg and Wuhan RBD HBsAg (b/Wu RBD HBsAg1Al). RBD vaccines adjuvanted with SWE were formulated with Beta RBD HBsAg (b RBD HBsAg1SWE) or without HBsAg (b RBD1SWE). Both alum-adjuvanted RBD HBsAg vaccines generated functional RBD IgG against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC), decreased viral RNA burden, and lowered inflammation in the lung against Alpha or Beta challenge in K18-hACE2 mice. However, only b/Wu RBD HBsAg1Al was able to afford 100% survival to mice challenged with Alpha or Beta VOC. Furthermore, mice immunized with b RBD HBsAg1SWE induced cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies against major VOC of SARS-CoV-2, lowered viral RNA burden in the lung and brain, and protected mice from Alpha or Beta challenge similarly to mice immunized with Pfizer mRNA. However, RBD1SWE immunization failed to protect mice from VOC challenge. Our findings demonstrate that RBD HBsAg VLP vaccines provided similar protection profiles to the approved Pfizer mRNA vaccines used worldwide and may offer protection against SARS-CoV-2 VOC.