Activity of Sotrovimab against BQ.1.1 and XBB.1 Omicron sublineages in a hamster model

Abstract

The successive emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants has completely changed the modalities of use of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. Recent in vitro studies indicated that only Sotrovimab has maintained partial activity against BQ.1.1 and XBB.1. In the present study, we used the hamster model to determine whether Sotrovimab retains antiviral activity against these Omicron variants in vivo. Our results show that at exposures consistent with those observed in humans, Sotrovimab remains active against BQ.1.1 and XBB.1, although for BQ.1.1 the efficacy is lower than that observed against the first globally dominant Omicron sublineages BA.1 and BA.2.