Development of variant-proof severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, pan-sarbecovirus, and pan-ß-coronavirus vaccines.

ABSTRACT

The newly emerged severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants with high transmission rates and striking immune evasion have posed a serious challenge to the application of current first-generation SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Other sarbecoviruses, such as SARS-CoV and SARS-related coronaviruses (SARSr-CoVs), have the potential to cause outbreaks in the future. These facts call for the development of variant-proof SARS-CoV-2, pan-sarbecovirus or pan-ß-CoV vaccines. Several novel vaccine platforms have been used to develop vaccines with broad-spectrum neutralizing antibody responses and protective immunity to combat the current SARS-CoV-2 and its variants, other sarbecoviruses, as well as other ß-CoVs, in the future. In this review, we discussed the major target antigens and protective efficacy of current SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and summarized recent advances in broad-spectrum vaccines against sarbecoviruses and ß-CoVs.