Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 is currently the best tool in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are limited data on its efficacy and safety after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT). We present the results of a prospective analysis of the humoral response to two doses of BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine in 93 adult patients, including 29 after autologous HCT (autoHCT) and 64 after allogeneic HCT (alloHCT). Positive anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were detected before vaccination in 25% of patients despite a negative medical history of COVID-19. Seroconversion after vaccination was achieved in 89% of patients after alloHCT and in 96% after autoHCT, without grade 3/4 adverse events. Post-vaccination anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody level correlated with the time from transplant and absolute B-cell count at the vaccination. In univariate analysis restricted to the alloHCT group, short time since transplantation, low B-cell count, low intensity conditioning, GvHD, and immunosuppressive treatment at the vaccination were associated with lack of seroconversion. In the multivariate model, the only negative predictor of seroconversion remained treatment with calcineurin inhibitor (CNI). In conclusion, the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine is highly immunogenic in patients after HCT, but treatment with CNI at the time of vaccination has a strong negative impact on the humoral response.
Keywords: anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination; efficacy; hematological malignancies; hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; humoral response; immune response predictors.