Preclinical immunogenicity of the LP.8.1-adapted BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine
Chaitanya Kurhade1, Wei Chen1, Weiqiang Li1
1Pfizer Vaccines, Pearl River, New York, NY, USA.
NPJ Vaccines
|July 6, 2026
Abstract:
SARS-CoV-2 evolution toward antigenically distinct lineages drives escape from host immunity. JN.1 lineage derivatives have recently dominated the global epidemiologic landscape. In preclinical models, an LP.8.1-adapted BNT162b2 vaccine elicited higher serum neutralizing antibody responses against contemporary, circulating JN.1 sublineages, including the epidemiologically dominant XFG lineage, as compared to JN.1 and KP.2 vaccines. These findings supported the selection of an LP.8.1-adapted vaccine for the composition of the 2025-26 COVID-19 vaccine formula.
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