Development of multivalent SARS-CoV-2 virus-like particle vaccine candidates

Abstract

The novel betacoronavirus SARS-CoV-2 emerged in late 2019, causing the global health threat of COVID-19. Over the past years, it has infected over 700 million people worldwide, resulting in 7 million deaths. Clearly, a potent and safe vaccine that guarantees long-lasting protection against novel virus strains is desperately needed to curb and eliminate the pandemic. Here, we present the development and scalable purification of an advanced coronavirus-like particle (CoVLP) vaccine candidates derived from SARS-CoV-2 structural proteins. Highly pure and concentrated particles were produced from insect cell culture through sequential chromatography purification, employing hydrophobic and ion exchange monolithic columns. This strategy enables reliable scalability for production, supporting both preclinical and future clinical trials. The purified nanoparticles closely mimic coronavirus morphology and molecular composition, as determined by transmission electron microscopy. CoVLPs induced robust multivalent neutralizing immunity in mice against native SARS-CoV-2 in combination with squalene-based emulsion adjuvant. The isolated multivalent CoVLPs, covering a broad spectrum of viral antigens, represent a promising next-generation COVID-19 vaccine candidate, particularly considering the increasing threat of vaccine-evading mutations and waning immunity.