New vaccine approach protects animals despite weak antibody response

Researchers developed a reformulated COVID-19 vaccine that protected Syrian hamsters from infection even when traditional antibody tests showed minimal immune response. The finding suggests vaccine effectiveness may depend on immune mechanisms beyond what current testing measures, raising questions about how regulators and manufacturers evaluate vaccine success.

Originaltitel: SARS-CoV-2 spike HexaPro formulated in aluminium hydroxide and administered in an accelerated vaccination schedule partially protects Syrian Hamsters against viral challenge despite low neutralizing antibody responses