Estimation of Neutralizing Antibodies among PizerBioNTech (BNT162b2) Vaccine Recipients in Benghazi, Libya

Abstract

Natural infection and vaccination are the two ways in which immunity to SARS-CoV-2 can be acquired. Regarding adaptive immunity to SARS-CoV-2, both T cells, and B cell producing neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) contribute some degree of clinical protection. The important role of neutralizing antibodies in protection of SARS-CoV-2 has been demonstrated by the results of passive transfer of nAbs to non-RBD epitopes on the spike (S) protein that was able to prevent severe SARS-CoV-2 infection in animal models. Regeneron has reported similar data in humans (passive vaccination). Convalescent plasma transformation has also shown an ability to dramatically improve clinical symptoms. Pizer/BioNTech (BNT162b2), is a lipid nanoparticle formulated nucleoside-modified mRNA that encodes the viral spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2.