COVID-19 vaccines: neutralizing antibodies and the alum advantage

Peter J Hotez; David B Corry; Ulrich Strych; Maria Elena Bottazzi

doi:10.1038/s41577-020-0358-6

COVID-19 vaccines: neutralizing antibodies and the alum advantage

Nat Rev Immunol. 2020 Jul;20(7):399-400. doi: 10.1038/s41577-020-0358-6.

Authors

Peter J Hotez^{1

2

3

4}, David B Corry^{5

6}, Ulrich Strych^{7

8}, Maria Elena Bottazzi^{9

10

11}

Affiliations

¹ Texas Children's Center for Vaccine Development, Houston, TX, USA. hotez@bcm.edu.
² Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. hotez@bcm.edu.
³ Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA. hotez@bcm.edu.
⁴ Hagler Institute for Advanced Study at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA. hotez@bcm.edu.
⁵ Departments of Medicine (Immunology, Allergy and Rheumatology) and Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. dcorry@bcm.edu.
⁶ Michael E. DeBakey VA Center for Translational Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Houston, TX, USA. dcorry@bcm.edu.
⁷ Texas Children's Center for Vaccine Development, Houston, TX, USA. strych@bcm.edu.
⁸ Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. strych@bcm.edu.
⁹ Texas Children's Center for Vaccine Development, Houston, TX, USA. bottazzi@bcm.edu.
¹⁰ Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. bottazzi@bcm.edu.
¹¹ Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA. bottazzi@bcm.edu.

Abstract

Achieving high levels of neutralizing antibodies to the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 in a safe manner is likely to be crucial for an effective vaccine. Here, we propose that aluminium-based adjuvants might hold the key to this.

MeSH terms

Adjuvants, Immunologic
Alum Compounds
Animals
Antibodies, Neutralizing
COVID-19 Vaccines
Coronavirus Infections / immunology
Coronavirus Infections / prevention & control
Humans
Macaca mulatta
Mice
Viral Vaccines / administration & dosage
Viral Vaccines / immunology*

Substances

Adjuvants, Immunologic
Alum Compounds
Antibodies, Neutralizing
COVID-19 Vaccines
Viral Vaccines
aluminum sulfate