Immunological and virological aspects of SARS-CoV-2 infection

Genetic variability, immune responses, vaccine platforms and animal models

REPORT - Posted on 01 Dec. 2020

As part of the work that the HAS has undertaken in advance on the vaccination strategy against Covid-19, the HAS has produced a synthesis of available knowledge on the immunological and virological aspects of infection with SARS-CoV-2 .

The objective of this document is informative and educational, and aims to constitute the knowledge base that will be essential to define the vaccination strategy once the results of clinical trials against SARS-CoV-2 are made available to HAS. This document therefore does not detail the results of clinical trials on candidate vaccines under development.

It should be remembered that the information it presents is only valid on the date of its publication and will be updated at a frequency adjusted according to the importance of scientific advances in this field.

Given the interest of this summary, which brings together information relevant to understanding the scientific issues of vaccination against SARS-COV 2 and their complexity, the HAS wishes to make this document public.

This document is structured in two parts to facilitate ownership:

• A short part ("The essential", with an English translation – cf. link below) synthesizes the most relevant data to serve as a framework for the evaluation of clinical trial results and addresses the following aspects:
• structure and variability of SARS-CoV-2,
• animal models,
• immunological analyzes performed in clinical trials of anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine,
• immunity and vaccines against coronaviruses other than SARS-CoV type viruses, against SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV and against SARS-CoV-2,
• vaccine platforms against SARS-CoV-2,
• adjuvants used with candidate SARS-CoV-2 vaccines,
• mucosal immunity and vaccination,
• the results of phase 1 and / or 2 trials available.
• A long section (only available in French expands on the content of the initial section, apart from the chapters on immunoassays performed in SARS-CoV-2 vaccine clinical trials and on previously published trial results.

This summary is drawn up on the basis of a review of the literature on the various themes addressed and a scientific watch on Covid-19 provided by the Documentation and Watch department of the HAS.