Omicron sublineage BA.2.75.2 exhibits extensive escape from neutralising antibodies

Sheward, D. J.; Kim, C.; Fischbach, J.; Muschiol, S.; Ehling, R. A.; Björkström, N. K.; Karlsson Hedestam, G. B.; Reddy, S. T.; Albert, J.; Peacock, T. P.; Murrell, B.

doi:10.1101/2022.09.16.508299

bioRxiv · 10.1101/2022.09.16.508299

Omicron sublineage BA.2.75.2 exhibits extensive escape from neutralising antibodies

Sheward, D. J.·Kim, C.·Fischbach, J.·Muschiol, S.·Ehling, R. A.·Björkström, N. K.·Karlsson Hedestam, G. B.·Reddy, S. T.·Albert, J.·Peacock, T. P.·Murrell, B.

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Abstract

Several sublineages of omicron have emerged with additional mutations that may afford further antibody evasion. Here, we characterise the sensitivity of emerging omicron sublineages BA.2.75.2, BA.4.6, and BA.2.10.4 to antibody-mediated neutralisation, and identify extensive escape by BA.2.75.2. BA.2.75.2 was resistant to neutralisation by Evusheld (tixagevimab + cilgavimab), but remained sensitive to bebtelovimab. In recent serum samples from blood donors in Stockholm, Sweden, BA.2.75.2 was neutralised, on average, at titers approximately 6.5-times lower than BA.5, making BA.2.75.2 the most neutralisation resistant variant evaluated to date. These data raise concerns that BA.2.75.2 may effectively evade humoral immunity in the population.

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Sheward, D. J., Kim, C., Fischbach, J., Muschiol, S., Ehling, R. A., Björkström, N. K., Karlsson Hedestam, G. B., Reddy, S. T., Albert, J., Peacock, T. P., Murrell, B.. 2022-09-16. Omicron sublineage BA.2.75.2 exhibits extensive escape from neutralising antibodies. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.09.16.508299

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