Scientists from Columbia University found the latest omicron subvariants—including the BA.4 and BA.5 forms causing new surges in infections in the United States—are even better at eluding vaccines and most antibody treatments than previous variants.
The research is published in Nature and was conducted by David D. Ho et al.
Subvariants BA.2.12.1, BA.4, and BA.5 are rapidly expanding worldwide, with BA.4/5 now making up more than 50% of new COVID cases in the United States.
These subvariants are thought to be even more transmissible than prior omicron subvariants, owing to several new mutations in spike proteins.
In laboratory experiments, the team studied the ability of antibodies from individuals who had received at least three doses of an mRNA vaccine, or got two shots and were then infected with omicron, to neutralize the new subvariants.
They found that while BA.2.12.1 is only modestly more resistant than BA.2 in individuals who were vaccinated and boosted, BA.4/5 was at least four times more resistant than its predecessor.
In addition, the team tested the ability of 19 monoclonal antibody treatments to neutralize the variants and found that only one of the available antibody treatments remained highly effective against both BA.2.12.1 and BA.4/5.
The study suggests that as these highly transmissible subvariants continue to expand around the globe, they will lead to more breakthrough infections in people who are vaccinated and boosted with currently available mRNA vaccines.
Though the current study suggests that the new variants may cause more infections in vaccinated individuals, the vaccines continue to provide good protection against severe diseases.
The team says efforts in the United States to develop new vaccine boosters aimed at BA.4/5 may improve protection against infection and severe disease.
In the current environment, though, scientists may need to look toward developing new vaccines and treatments that can anticipate the ongoing evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
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