![](https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_200_21_9/public/media/images/teaser/2023-11/gettyimages-1676140017_1.jpg?itok=rBqeHCzx 200w, https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_260_21_9/public/media/images/teaser/2023-11/gettyimages-1676140017_1.jpg?itok=UMTq1zFn 260w, https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_320_21_9/public/media/images/teaser/2023-11/gettyimages-1676140017_1.jpg?itok=bsLMVqqn 320w, https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_400_21_9/public/media/images/teaser/2023-11/gettyimages-1676140017_1.jpg?itok=jo4tB2c6 400w, https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_520_21_9/public/media/images/teaser/2023-11/gettyimages-1676140017_1.jpg?itok=MTuLFYZm 520w, https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_640_21_9/public/media/images/teaser/2023-11/gettyimages-1676140017_1.jpg?itok=I_XLYQSP 640w, https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_800_21_9/public/media/images/teaser/2023-11/gettyimages-1676140017_1.jpg?itok=fiqQgssM 800w, https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_1040_21_9/public/media/images/teaser/2023-11/gettyimages-1676140017_1.jpg?itok=La-yPXbn 1040w, https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_1280_21_9/public/media/images/teaser/2023-11/gettyimages-1676140017_1.jpg?itok=PbZl1oSd 1280w, https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_1600_21_9/public/media/images/teaser/2023-11/gettyimages-1676140017_1.jpg?itok=VeEAQfCK 1600w)
Updated COVID Vaccines Likely Protect Against Several Variants
Updated COVID vaccines have been available in the United States since September. These updated vaccines are designed to target the XBB coronavirus variant, which had been causing the majority of COVID cases in 2023.
But what if a different variant starts to take over this winter? A new study published in Nature offers reassuring data.
"Our research shows that the updated vaccines likely produce a strong antibody response to several variants including XBB.1.5, EG.5.1, and BA.2.86,” says Lihong Liu, PhD, assistant professor of medical sciences at Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, who co-led the research with David D. Ho, MD, the Clyde'56 and Helen Wu Professor of Medicine, professor of microbiology & immunology, and director of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center.
The researchers found that XBB breakthrough-induced antibodies successfully neutralized the spike protein of not only the XBB.1.5 variant, but also the EG.5.1, and BA.2.86 variants. Since the updated vaccines are based on XBB, they likely protect against the EG.5.1 and BA.2.86 variants as well.
“While these results are encouraging, it's essential to remain vigilant, as the virus continues to circulate and evolve,” Liu says. “It could quickly develop further mutations that make the current vaccines and therapies less effective at any point, so it’s important that we keep monitoring it and doing these studies on antibody effectiveness.”
By genetically modifying BA.2.86, the researchers identified six mutations that increased the resistance of the spike protein to antibodies. This important information will help virologists track which newly evolved variants could pose a greater danger in the future.
![Evolutionary tree of COVID-19 variants](https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_200/public/media/general/2023-11/covidevolution.png?itok=Ca14r4lC 200w, https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_260/public/media/general/2023-11/covidevolution.png?itok=LtzMO-iz 260w, https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_320/public/media/general/2023-11/covidevolution.png?itok=uK9vsuVe 320w, https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_400/public/media/general/2023-11/covidevolution.png?itok=KtdangLx 400w, https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_520/public/media/general/2023-11/covidevolution.png?itok=IspJc61k 520w, https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_640/public/media/general/2023-11/covidevolution.png?itok=ID6DDF2R 640w, https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_800/public/media/general/2023-11/covidevolution.png?itok=DLKCvkKf 800w, https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_1040/public/media/general/2023-11/covidevolution.png?itok=iI8OFvnl 1040w, https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_1280/public/media/general/2023-11/covidevolution.png?itok=dNfzXyRQ 1280w, https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/styles/cola_media_1600/public/media/general/2023-11/covidevolution.png?itok=2XOnTpXK 1600w)
Evolutionary tree of COVID-19 variants.
References
More information
Early access to "Antigenicity and receptor affinity of SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.86 spike" is available at Nature.