Antibody Response in Immunocompromised Patients With Hematologic Cancers Who Received a 3-Dose mRNA-1273 Vaccination Schedule for COVID-19
Authors: Haggenburg Sabine , Hofsink Quincy , Lissenberg-Witte Birgit I. , Broers Annoek E. C. , van Doesum Jaap A. , van Binnendijk Rob S. , den Hartog Gerco , Bhoekhan Michel S. , Haverkate Nienke J. E. , Burger Judith A. , Bouhuijs Joey H. , Smits Gaby P. , Wouters Dorine , van Leeuwen Ester M. M. , Bontkes Hetty J. , Kootstra Neeltje A. , Zweegman Sonja , Kater Arnon P. , Heemskerk Mirjam H. M. , Groen Kaz , van Meerten Tom , Mutsaers Pim G. N. J. , Beaumont Tim , van Gils Marit J. , Goorhuis Abraham , Rutten Caroline E. , Hazenberg Mette D. , Nijhof Inger S. ,   COBRA KAI Study Team, Kant Iris M. , Graas Thecla , Toussaint Belle , de Jong Sterre , Darwesh Shahan , Mahes Sandjiv S. , Beaumont Guus , Engel Marije D. , Pierie R. Cheyenne N. , Janssen Suzanne R. , Dijkman Edith , Heijmans Jarom , Witte Yara Y. , Nahui Palomino Rogers A. , Omar Said Z. , Vegt Caya , Arends-Halbesma Ilonka , de Pater Emma , Dijkstra Margriet J. , Rots Nynke Y. , Siteur-van Rijnstra Esther , de Rooij Dennis M. , Sanders Rogier W. , Poniman Meliawati , Olijhoek Wouter , van Rijswijk Jacqueline , Cetinel Lucia , Schellekens Louis , den Hartogh Yvonne , van Meerloo Johan , Cloos Jacqueline , Tonouh-Aajoud Saida , Weijers Suzanne S. , Avci Selime , Roelandse-Koop Elianne , Dik Willem A. 
Published: August 2022

Importance

It has become common practice to offer immunocompromised patients with hematologic cancers a third COVID-19 vaccination dose, but data substantiating this are scarce.

Objective

To assess whether a third mRNA-1273 vaccination is associated with increased neutralizing antibody concentrations in immunocompromised patients with hematologic cancers comparable to levels obtained in healthy individuals after the standard 2-dose mRNA-1273 vaccination schedule.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This prospective observational cohort study was conducted at 4 university hospitals in the Netherlands and included 584 evaluable patients spanning the spectrum of hematologic cancers and 44 randomly selected age-matched adults without malignant or immunodeficient comorbidities.

Exposures

One additional mRNA-1273 vaccination 5 months after completion of the standard 2-dose mRNA-1273 vaccination schedule.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to spike subunit 1 (S1) antigens prior to and 4 weeks after a third mRNA-1273 vaccination, and antibody neutralization capacity of wild-type, Delta, and Omicron variants in a subgroup of patients.

Results

In this cohort of 584 immunocompromised patients with hematologic cancers (mean [SD] age, 60 [11.2] years; 216 [37.0%] women), a third mRNA-1273 vaccination was associated with median S1-IgG concentrations comparable to concentrations obtained by healthy individuals after the 2-dose mRNA-1273 schedule. The rise in S1-IgG concentration after the third vaccination was most pronounced in patients with a recovering immune system, but potent responses were also observed in patients with persistent immunodeficiencies. Specifically, patients with myeloid cancers or multiple myeloma and recipients of autologous or allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) reached median S1-IgG concentrations similar to those obtained by healthy individuals after a 2-dose schedule. Patients receiving or shortly after completing anti-CD20 therapy, CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy recipients, and patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia receiving ibrutinib were less responsive or unresponsive to the third vaccination. In the 27 patients who received cell therapy between the second and third vaccination, S1 antibodies were preserved, but a third mRNA-1273 vaccination was not associated with significantly enhanced S1-IgG concentrations except for patients with multiple myeloma receiving autologous HCT. A third vaccination was associated with significantly improved neutralization capacity per antibody.

Conclusions and Relevance

Results of this cohort study support that the primary schedule for immunocompromised patients with hematologic cancers should be supplemented with a delayed third vaccination. Patients with B-cell lymphoma and allogeneic HCT recipients need to be revaccinated after treatment or transplantation.

Trial Registration

EudraCT Identifier: 2021-001072-41