Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

A Linear SARS-CoV-2 DNA Vaccine Candidate Reduces Virus Shedding in Ferrets

Mathias Martins
ORCID logo ,
Gabriela M. Do Nascimento
,
Antonella Conforti
,
Jessica C.G. Noll
,
Joseph A. Impellizeri
,
Elisa Sanchez
,
Bettina Wagner
,
Lucia Lione
ORCID logo ,
Erika Salvatori
ORCID logo ,
Eleonora Pinto
ORCID logo ,
Mirco Compagnone
ORCID logo ,
Brian Viscount
,
James Hayward
,
Clay Shorrock
,
Luigi Aurisicchio
ORCID logo ,
Diego G. Diel
* ORCID logo
Version 1 : Received: 27 September 2022 / Approved: 8 October 2022 / Online: 8 October 2022 (03:02:18 CEST)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Martins, M.; do Nascimento, G.M.; Conforti, A.; Noll, J.C.G.; Impellizeri, J.A.; Sanchez, E.; Wagner, B.; Lione, L.; Salvatori, E.; Pinto, E.; et al. A Linear SARS-CoV-2 DNA Vaccine Candidate Reduces Virus Shedding in Ferrets. Archives of Virology 2023, 168, doi:10.1007/s00705-023-05746-1. Martins, M.; do Nascimento, G.M.; Conforti, A.; Noll, J.C.G.; Impellizeri, J.A.; Sanchez, E.; Wagner, B.; Lione, L.; Salvatori, E.; Pinto, E.; et al. A Linear SARS-CoV-2 DNA Vaccine Candidate Reduces Virus Shedding in Ferrets. Archives of Virology 2023, 168, doi:10.1007/s00705-023-05746-1.

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has caused more than 600 million cases and over 6 million deaths worldwide. Vaccination has been the main strategy used to contain the spread of the virus, and to avoid hospitalizations and deaths. Currently, there are two mRNA-based and one adenovirus vectored vaccines approved and available for use in the U.S. population. The versatility, low cost and rapid-to-manufacture attributes of DNA vaccines are important advantages over other platforms. However, DNA vaccination must meet higher efficiency levels for use in humans. Importantly, in vivo DNA delivery combined with electroporation (EP) has been successfully used in the veterinary field. Here we evaluated the safety, immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a novel linear SARS-CoV-2 DNA vaccine candidate for delivered by intramuscular injection followed by electroporation (Vet-ePorator™) in ferrets. The results demonstrated that the linear SARS-CoV-2 DNA vaccine candidate did not cause unexpected side effects, and was able to elicit neutralizing antibodies and T cell responses using a low dose of the linear DNA construct in prime-boost regimen, and significantly reduced shedding of infectious SARS-CoV-2 through oral and nasal secretions in a ferret model.

Keywords

SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; pandemic; DNA vaccine; immunity; protection

Subject

Biology and Life Sciences, Virology

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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