Antibody evasion by the P.1 strain of SARS-CoV-2

SARS-CoV-2 variants U.K. (B.1.1.7), Brazil (P.1) and South Africa (B.1.351) share mutations in the ACE2 binding site (D614G and N501Y). For only Brazil and South Africa variants, two mutations E484K and K417N(South Africa) / K417T(Brazil) are conserved. However, the Brazil variant is less resistant to naturally acquired or vaccine-induced antibodies than the South Africa variant. A novel monoclonal antibody (mAb) #222 neutralizes all three variants. Chimeric antibodies from two types of mAbs having different heavy and light chains were generated. The light chain from #222 restored the neutralizing activity of antibodies that potentially could not neutralize these variants.