Humoral and cellular immunogenicity against SARS-CoV- 2 mRNA vaccine in patients with inflammatory rheumatic disease, Comparison of mRNA-1273 vaccine and BNT162b2

ABSTRACT

Objectives: To assess humoral and cellular immune responses and safety profiles after two doses of different mRNA vaccine against SARS-CoV- 2;BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) and mRNA-1273 (Moderna) in patients with rheumatic musculoskeletal disease (RMD). Method(s) We enrolled consecutive, previously uninfected RMD patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases receiving mRNA vaccine including BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273. Healthy participants all receiving BNT162b2 were recruited as control. Blood samples were obtained 3weeks after second dose of vaccines. We measured titres of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV- 2 with chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay to evaluate humoral responses and assessed T-cell immunity responses with interferon releasing assay against SARS-CoV- 2 in a part of the patients. Adverse reaction symptoms were obtained from participants through questionnaire. Result(s) A total of 1040 RMD patients and healthy 621 control participants were enrolled. Among RMD patients with immunosuppressants, 704 were received BNT162b2 and 156 were received mRNA-1273. Neutralizing antibody titres 3 weeks after vaccination and positive seroconversion rates were significantly higher in healthy participants with BNT162b2 and RMD patients with mRNA-1273 compared with RMD patients with BNT162b2;neutralizing antibody titre, 23.9 +/- 14.2 IU/mL vs 29.4 +/- 33.9 IU/mL vs 10.8 +/- 16.5 IU/mL, p < 0.001;seroconversion rates, 99.5% vs 99.4% vs 80.2%, p < 0.001, respectively, We identified that age, glucocorticoid (prednisolone dose > 7.5mg/day), and use of immunosuppressants including methotrexate, mycophenolate and rituximab, are associated with attenuation of humoral responses in patients with BNT162b2. T cell reaction against SARS-CoV- 2 were also higher in patients with RMD vaccinated with mRNA-1273 than those with BNT162b2 (Interferon gamma levels for antigen 1, 3.2 +/- 6.5 IU/mL vs 0.6 +/- 1.3 IU/mL, p = 0.002;for antigen 2, 3.2 +/- 6.3 IU/mL vs 1.0 +/- 2.1 IU/mL, p = 0.021, respectively). Regarding adverse reaction of mRNA vaccine, the proportion of systemic adverse reactions including fever and general fatigue are significantly higher in healthy controls and RMD patients with mRNA-1273 than those with BNT162b2;fever, 46.2% vs 56.7% vs 14.3%, p < 0.001;general fatigue, 62.6% vs 73.0% vs 38.5%, p < 0.001, respectively, while the frequency of background RMD flare after vaccination were not significantly different between mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2 (5.2% [n = 8] vs. 3.7% [n = 26], p = 0.41) Conclusion(s) We demonstrated higher humoral, cellular immunogenicity of the SARS-CoV- 2 mRNA-1273 (Moderna) compared with the BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) in RMD patients. Although reactogenicity including systemic adverse reaction including fever and fatigue were observed mRNA1273 vaccinated patients, proportion of RMD relapse were similar between the patients with mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2.