Differential neutralization and inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 variants by antibodies elicited by COVID-19 mRNA vaccines (preprint)

The divergence of SARS-CoV-2 into variants of concern/interest (VOC/VOI) necessitated analysis of their impact on vaccines. Escape from vaccine-induced antibodies by SARS-CoV-2 VOC/VOIs was analyzed to ascertain and rank their risk. The variants showed differential reductions in neutralization and replication titers by the post-vaccination sera with Beta variant showing the most neutralization escape that was mechanistically driven by mutations in both the N-terminal domain and receptor-binding domain of the spike.

Broad-spectrum in vitro antiviral activity of ODBG-P-RVn: an orally-available, lipid-modified monophosphate prodrug of remdesivir parent nucleoside (GS-441524) (preprint)

The intravenous administration of remdesivir for COVID-19 confines its utility to hospitalized patients. We evaluated the broad-spectrum antiviral activity of ODBG-P-RVn, an orally available, lipid-modified monophosphate prodrug of the remdesivir parent nucleoside (GS-441524) against viruses that cause diseases of human public health concern, including SARS-CoV-2. ODBG-P-RVn showed 20-fold greater antiviral activity than GS-441524 and had near-equivalent activity to remdesivir in primary-like human small airway epithelial cells. Our results warrant investigation of ODBG-P-RVn efficacy in vivo.