RSV F evolution escapes some monoclonal antibodies but does not strongly erode neutralization by human polyclonal sera

In a new study posted on bioRxiv today, we developed a pseudovirus neutralization assay for RSV's F protein, and then used that assay to quantify the extent of antigenic evolution of F. We think this is an important study because RSV is a top cause of infant hospitalizations, and antibodies and vaccines are coming into widespread use.

For accessible summaries of the study, see:

• This Bluesky thread, which can be read more easily in threaded form here
• This X thread

This study was lead by Cassie Simonich (a pediatrics medical fellow working in our lab) and Teagan McMahon, who together have pioneered the RSV studies in our lab.

RSV is the top cause of infant hospitalizations in the USA. Now that a monoclonal antibody is recommended for infants born in the USA during RSV season, it is also going to come under new antigenic pressure. This study both develops the tools to study its antigenic evolution, and applies them to answer an important question. See the full paper or the summaries linked above to see what we found!