Immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a co-formulated two-in-one inactivated whole virus particle COVID-19/influenza vaccine

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 14; no. 1; p. 4204
• Main Authors: Handabile, Chimuka, Ohno, Marumi, Sekiya, Toshiki, Nomura, Naoki, Kawakita, Tomomi, Kawahara, Mamiko, Endo, Masafumi, Nishimura, Tomohiro, Okumura, Minako, Toba, Shinsuke, Sasaki, Michihito, Orba, Yasuko, Chua, Brendon Y., Rowntree, Louise C., Nguyen, Thi H. O., Shingai, Masashi, Sato, Akihiko, Sawa, Hirofumi, Ogasawara, Kazumasa, Kedzierska, Katherine, Kida, Hiroshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 20-02-2024; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/250/590; 631/326/596; Animals; Antibodies, Viral; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - prevention & control; COVID-19 Vaccines; Gene expression; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Immunization; Immunogenicity; Immunogenicity, Vaccine; Inflammation; Influenza; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; Influenza Vaccines; Influenza, Human; Mice; multidisciplinary; Protected animals; Public health; SARS-CoV-2; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Vaccination - methods; Vaccines; Virion; Viruses
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54421-1

Due to the synchronous circulation of seasonal influenza viruses and severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), there is need for routine vaccination for both COVID-19 and influenza to reduce disease severity. Here, we prepared individual WPVs composed of formalin-inactivated SARS-CoV-2 WK 521 (Ancestral strain; Co WPV) or influenza virus [A/California/07/2009 (X-179A) (H1N1) pdm; Flu WPV] to produce a two-in-one Co/Flu WPV. Serum analysis from vaccinated mice revealed that a single dose of Co/Flu WPV induced antigen-specific neutralizing antibodies against both viruses, similar to those induced by either type of WPV alone. Following infection with either virus, mice vaccinated with Co/Flu WPV showed no weight loss, reduced pneumonia and viral titers in the lung, and lower gene expression of proinflammatory cytokines, as observed with individual WPV-vaccinated. Furthermore, a pentavalent vaccine (Co/qFlu WPV) comprising of Co WPV and quadrivalent influenza vaccine (qFlu WPV) was immunogenic and protected animals from severe COVID-19. These results suggest that a single dose of the two-in-one WPV provides efficient protection against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus infections with no evidence of vaccine interference in mice. We propose that concomitant vaccination with the two-in-one WPV can be useful for controlling both diseases.