Omicron: A Heavily Mutated SARS-CoV-2 Variant Exhibits Stronger Binding to ACE2 and Potently Escapes Approved COVID-19 Therapeutic Antibodies

The new SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern “Omicron” was recently spotted in South Africa and spread quickly around the world due to its enhanced transmissibility. The variant became conspicuous as it harbors more than 30 mutations in the Spike protein with 15 mutations in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) alone, potentially dampening the potency of therapeutic antibodies and enhancing the ACE2 binding. More worrying, Omicron infections have been reported in vaccinees in South Africa and Hong Kong, and that post-vaccination sera poorly neutralize the new variant. Here, we investigated the binding strength of Omicron with ACE2 and monoclonal antibodies that are either approved by the FDA for COVID-19 therapy or…

• NR
  National Research Foundation
• KI
  Korea Institute of Science and Technology
• KI
  Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information
• KH
  Korea Health Industry Development Institute

  Award: HI21C1003
• NR
  National Research Foundation of Korea

  Awards: 2019R1A5A2026045, 2017M3C9A6047620, NRF-2017M3C9A6047620, 2017M3A9B6061509, NRF-2017M3A9B6061509, NRF-2019R1A5A2026045
• MO
  Ministry of Science and ICT, South Korea

  Awards: NRF-2019R1A5A2026045, 2017M3C9A6047620, NRF-2017M3C9A6047620, 2019R1A5A2026045, NRF-2017M3A9B6061509
• KR
  Korea Research Environment Open Network