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11 comments

[–] jobes [OP] 3 points (+3|-0) Edited

Each mutational pattern was introduced in the original Wuhan/D614G strain, submitted to energy minimization, and then tested for antibody binding. ... Thus, these infection enhancing antibodies not only still recognize Delta variants but even display a higher affinity for those variants than for the original SARS-CoV-2 strain

Current Covid-19 vaccines (either mRNA or viral vectors) are based on the original Wuhan spike sequence. Inasmuch as neutralizing antibodies overwhelm facilitating antibodies, ADE is not a concern. However, the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants may tip the scales in favor of infection enhancement. Our structural and modelling data suggest that it might be indeed the case for Delta variants.

So basically ADE wouldn't happen with the original virus, but the vaccines are less likely to neutralize Delta and in fact have a probability of causing ADE. They conclude there is a way to make a second gen vaccine that would avoid the ADE issue, but right now it really could occur.

[–] Butler_crosley 1 points (+1|-0)

I read somewhere in the last couple days that studies involving the Moderna vaccine are showing better success against the Delta variant than Pfizer. I think the percentages I saw were somewhere in the 70s for Moderna and somewhere in the 40s for Pfizer.

[–] jobes [OP] 1 points (+1|-0) Edited

Yeah I saw similar, Pfizer was originally 95% efficacy and dropped to 42% I think, while Moderna was originally 90% and dropped to 75% I think. Moderna's been doing MRNA since it's founding (hence the name, ModeRNA), while it's newer tech for Pfizer