Scientists find gene variant tied to better COVID shot response

Scientists have identified an immunity gene variant in people with strong responses to COVID-19 vaccines who were less likely to get breakthrough infections, a finding that could improve future shot design.

Individuals carrying the specific gene version generated more antibodies against the coronavirus after receiving vaccines from AstraZeneca PLC or the alliance of Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE, according to the study published Thursday in the Nature Medicine journal. The same people were less likely than those with different versions of the same gene to get infected with COVID-19 months later, the research found.

Although COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective at preventing hospitalizations and deaths, they’ve been criticized for their lack of ability to completely prevent milder cases and infections. The study offers a window into an emerging field at the intersection of human genetics and vaccine effectiveness that could help scientists overcome such obstacles.