Defining the Protective Immune Response to SARS-CoV-2 Using a Human Challenge Model

Understanding the nature, effectiveness and durability of the human immune response to SARS CoV2 is crucial for vaccine development and effective public health management. We are beginning to understand the pattern and kinetics of the humoral response to natural infection but are less certain about other aspects of the response. We are unable to establish with certainty whether an individual with a particular titre of antibody, or a particular T cell response, is likely to be protected from reinfection and, if so, for how long. These are central questions for the development of an effective vaccine. A controlled human infection model will provide a more detailed understanding of the protective immune response. It will provide the opportunity to interrogate the full extent of the immune response at the time of exposure and will also allow the evaluation of the durability of immune responses of all kinds and how they correlate with protection. Key goals: To establish an MHRA-approved SARS CoV2 viral stock for use in a controlled human infection model To determine a challenge dose which is safe and allows virus to be recoverable from infected subjects