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Coronavirus Studies in Nonhuman Primate Models

This page provides a curated list of coronavirus studies and reviews using nonhuman primate (NHP) models.

Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review: vaccine
NPRC/Institute: NCI, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, BIOQUAL, University of Athens School of Medicine, University of Washington
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, DNA-based vaccine, immune response, primates
Summary of Study: A vaccine regimen comprising simultaneous co-immunization of DNA and Protein at the same anatomical site showed best neutralizing abilities and was more effective than DNA alone in inducing protective immune responses and controlling SARS-CoV-2 infection. An expansion of the DNA vaccine regimen to include co-immunization with Spike protein may be of advantage for SARS-CoV-2.
References: PMID: 34551020 / doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009701
Contact Info: Barbara Felber: [email protected]
URL: https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1009701
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species:
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: King Mongkut's University of Technology; Chulalongkorn University; Mahidol University; B.F. Feed Company, Ltd.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, spike receptor-binding domain, immunization, convalescent sera, B-cell epitopes, primates
Summary of Study: The immunoinformatics method described could be a useful tool for identification of antibody epitopes in new virus variants and also other target proteins.
References: PMID: 34650130 / doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-99642-w
Contact Info: Yaowaluck Mapring Roshorm: [email protected]
URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-99642-w
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species:
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan; University of Tokyo; Kumamoto University, and others
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, virus-specific CD8+ T-cell responses, virus replication, immune response, primates
Summary of Study: The effect of CD8+ cell depletion on SARS-CoV-2 replication when monoclonal anti-CD8 antibody is administered in the subacute phase was studied in cynomolgus macaques. Analysis revealed no significant impact of CD8+ cell depletion on viral replication, indicating the subacute SARS-CoV-2 replication can be controlled in the absence of CD8+ T cells.
References: PMID: 34280241 / doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009668
Contact Info: Tetsuro Matano: [email protected]; Takushi Nomura: [email protected]
URL: https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1009668
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Peking Union Medical College; Capital Medical University
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, pathology, myocardial injury, differential expression, primates
Summary of Study: SARS-CoV-2 infected rhesus macaques showed viral myocarditis, where inflammation and endothelial injury jointly resulted in cardiac damage.
References: PMID: 34489396 / doi: 10.1038/s413392-021-00747-5
Contact Info: Jiangning Liu: [email protected]; Jing Wang: [email protected]
URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41392-021-00747-5
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques, african green monkeys
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: Harvard Univ., MIT, Tulane National Primate Research Center
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, respiratory droplet generation and exhalation, primates
Summary of Study: The proportion of small respiratory droplets (the majority of particles exhaled in all subjects) increased at the peak of COVID-19 infection in NHPs. This confirms a previously published observation from the exhaled aerosol profile of a single COVID-19 positive human subject, and suggests that, at peak infection, there may be an elevated risk of the airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by way of the very small droplets that transmit through conventional masks and travers distances far exceeding the conventional social distance of 2 m.
References: PMID: 33563754 / doi: 10.1073/pnas.2021830118
Contact Info: David Edwards: [email protected]; Chad Roy: [email protected]
URL: https://www.pnas.org/content/118/8/e2021830118.long
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review: vaccine
NPRC/Institute: Karolinska Institutet; University of Cape Town
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, virus genomic variants, antigenic sin, boost, passive immunization, mice, primates
Summary of Study: A single dose of adjuvanted beta variant receptor binding domain (RBD) protein broadens neutralizing antibody responses to heterologous VOCs.
References: PMID: 34723224 / doi: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2021.100450
Contact Info: Daniel Sheward: [email protected]; Gunilla Karlsson Hedestam: [email protected]; Ben Murrell: [email protected]
URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666379121003189?via%3Dihub=
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: Copycat Sciences; Sporos Bioventures
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, redelivery, analysis of the preclinical data and clinical efficacy, primates
Summary of Study: The gap between the strong preclinical data with remdesivir (RDV) across many virus models and its questionable clinical activity suggests that assumptions are being made at the preclinical level that do not reflect the conditions observed in patients.
References: PMID: 34252308 / doi: 10.1128/AAC.01117-21
Contact Info: Victoria Yan: [email protected]
URL: https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/AAC.01117-21?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=or…
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: USC, , UCLA, City of Hope, Bioqual
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, pancreatic beta cells, toxicity, metabolism, primates
Summary of Study: SARS-CoV-2 infection enhances beta cell stress that may compromise beta-cell function beyond the duration of the disease course, raising the possibility that the beta cell stress and injury may have clinical implications to the long-term future health of patients that have recovered from COVID19.
References: PMID: 34312617 / doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-592374/v1
Contact Info: Senta Georgia: [email protected]
URL: https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-592374/v1
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review: vaccine
NPRC/Institute: Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard; Novavax; University of Duisburg-Essen; MIT; Texas Biomedical Research Institute; University of Maryland School of Medicine; Duke University Medical Center; La Jolla Institute for Immunology; and others
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, humoral immune response, vaccine-induced antibody fingerprint, protection, primates
Summary of Study: Data presented suggest that a single dose may prevent disease via combined Fc/Fab functions but that two doses may be essential to block further transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and emerging variants.
References: PMID: 34485950 / doi: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2021.100405
Contact Info: Gale Smith: [email protected]; Galit Alter: [email protected]
URL: https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1009701
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review: vaccine
NPRC/Institute: Janssen Vaccines & Prevention B.V.; Harvard Medical School; Lucidity Biomedical Consulting; Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard; Massachusetts Consortium on Pathogen Readiness
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, adenovirus vector, immunogenicity, protective efficacy, immune response, primates
Summary of Study: Ad26.COV2.S vaccine confers durable protection against replication of SARS-CoV-2 in the lungs that is predicted by the levels of Spike-binding and neutralizing antibodies, indicating that Ad26.COV2.S could confer durable protection in humans and immunological correlates of protection may enable the prediction of durability of protection.
References: PMID: 34620860 / doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-26117-x
Contact Info: Roland Zahn: [email protected]
URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-26117-x
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: SW National Primate Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, Tulane University
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, single-cell RNA sequencing. Immune response, primates
Summary of Study: The recruitment of a myeloid-cell-mediated Type I IFN response is associated with the rapid clearance of SARS-CoV-2 infection in macaques.
References: PMID: 34282414 / doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-664507/v1
Contact Info: Deepak Kaushal: [email protected]
URL: https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-664507/v1
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review: vaccine
NPRC/Institute: Public Health England; University of Oxford; Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Quadram Institute Bioscience
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, inactivated vaccine, vaccine-enhanced disease, pathology, ferrets, primates
Summary of Study: Studies assessed the potential for VED (vaccine-enhanced disease) in animals vaccinated with formaldehyde-inactivated SARS-CoV-2 formulated with Alhydrogel, compared to a negative control vaccine. No evidence of enhanced disease was shown in ferrets of rhesus macaques except for mild transient enhanced disease seen 7 days after infection in ferrets. This was resolved by day 15.
References: PMID: 34516768 / doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abg7996
Contact Info: Miles Carol: [email protected]; Andrew Gorringe: [email protected]
URL: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abg7996?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=o…
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: Biomedical Primate Research Centre (BPRC, Netherlands), Utrecht University
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, computed tomography, bronchoalveolar lavage, test interference, primates
Summary of Study: Thorax CTs were evaluated for alterations in lung density in health and experimentally SARS-CoV-infected female rhesus macaques before and after bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). An increase in the lung density was observed on the post-BAL CT but resolved within 24 hours in the healthy animals; a significant difference in both the lung density and CT score was still found 24 hours post BAL in the infected animals.
References: PMID: 34242213 / doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252941
Contact Info: Marieke Stammes: [email protected]
URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0252941
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, ACE2 expression, transcription factor AhR, pathology, primates
Summary of Study: Data in this study show that the transcription factor AhR is able to bind the promoter of the ACE2 gene, thus promoting ACE2 expression and augmenting the subsequent pathology in SARS-CoV-2-infected lungs.
References: PMID: 33795851 / doi: 10.1038/s41423-021-00672-1
Contact Info: Chuan Qin: [email protected]; Bo Huang: [email protected]
URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41423-021-00672-1
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: african green monkeys, rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: Yale School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, ACE2, several animal species, immune response, pathology, primates
Summary of Study: This review summarized key clinical, radiologic, and pathologic features of human COVID-19, followed by a comparison with spontaneous and genetically altered animal models of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
References: PMID: 33836527 / doi: 10.1093/ilar/ilab0071
Contact Info: Caroline Zeiss: [email protected]
URL: https://academic.oup.com/ilarjournal/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ilar/ilab007/6…
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review: vaccine
NPRC/Institute: The Wistar Institute; Inovio Pharmaceuticals; Bioqual
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, DNA vaccine, immunogenicity, immune response, adaptive immune response, primates
Summary of Study: INO-4800, an intradermal-delivered SARS-CoV-2 spike DNA vaccine, induced both humoral and cellular arms of the adaptive immune system.
References: PMID: 34604818 / doi: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2021.100420
Contact Info: Kate Broderick: [email protected]; David Weiner: [email protected]
URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666379121002822?via%3Dihub=
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species:
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome, immune response, primates
Summary of Study: Cynomolgus macaques infected with SARS-CoV-2 showed body temperature rises and X-ray radiographic pneumonia without life-threatening clinical signs of disease. Because of similar symptoms to approximately 80% of patients, cynomolgus macaques are appropriate to extrapolate the efficacy of vaccines and antiviral drugs for humans.
References: PMID: 33412411/doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2020.12.013
Contact Info: Yasushi Itoh (no contact information)
URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0042682220302609?via%3Dihub=
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: Tulane NPRC, North Carolina State University
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, portable, ultrasensitive saliva-based virus assay, primates
Summary of Study: CRISPR-FDS determined that mean SARS-Cov-2 RNA levels were 3.6 fold to 124-fold higher, and more stable, in oropharyngeal versus nasal swab samples from nonhuman primates at all time points after infection, suggesting that saliva may represent a more robust diagnostic sample than nasal swabs both early and later in infection.
References: PMID: 33310733 / doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abe3703
Contact Info: Tony Hu: [email protected]
URL: https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/7/2/eabe3703
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species:
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: Texas Christian University
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, young and aged animals, viral dynamics, antiviral treatment, primates
Summary of Study: This study finds the viral dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 between young and aged animals and has shown that these differences should be considered when considering antiviral treatment.
References: PMID: 34804559 / doi: 10.1098/rsos.202345
Contact Info: Hana Dobrovolny: [email protected]
URL: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsos.202345?rfr_dat=cr_pub%…
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: multiple species
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: ORIP/NIH
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, animal models, viruses, resources, primates
Summary of Study: The SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased the demand for specific-pathogen-free (SPF) nonhuman primates (NHPs) for development of vaccines and therapeutics, thus straining the supply of these animals for biomedical research studies. Non-SPF animals, which are available in greater numbers and include well-characterized primate species, should be considered in lieu of limited SPF animals for appropriate research studies.
References: PMID: 34163043 / doi: 10.1038/s41684-021-008102
Contact Info: Miguel Contreras: [email protected]
URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41684-021-00810-2
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: NIAID
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, virus genomic variants, virus replication, immune response, pathology, primates
Summary of Study: A study of pathogenesis of B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 compared to a SARS-CoV-2 isolate containing the D614G spike substitution showed that B.1.351 was slightly less pathogenic than the other two variants, but there were no differences in virus shedding between the variants that could explain increased transmissibility.
References: PMID: 34678071 / doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abj3627
Contact Info: Emmie de Wit: [email protected]
URL: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abj3627?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=o…
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques, pigtail macaques
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center; University of Washington; Washington National Primate Research Center; NIAID
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, phage-based deep mutational scanning, epitope targets, spike protein, humans, primates
Summary of Study: Findings suggest that the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 in macaques shares many features with humans, but with substantial differences in the recognition of certain epitopes and considerable individual variability in antibody escape profiles, suggesting a diverse repertoire of antibodies that can respond to major epitopes in both humans and macaques.
References: PMID: 34909774 / doi: 10.1101/2021.12.01.470697
Contact Info: Julie Overbaugh: [email protected]
URL: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.01.470697v1
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review: vaccine
NPRC/Institute: Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, Texas Children's Center for Vaccine Development, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, and others.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, vaccines and adjuvants, immune response, primates
Summary of Study: The adjuvant 3M-052-alum (previously shown to induce better immune responses against HIV) may be a way to improve the efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.
References: PMID: 34266981 / doi: 10.1126/sciimmunol.abh3634
Contact Info: Sudhir Pai Kasturi: [email protected]; Maria Elena Bottazzi: [email protected]
URL: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciimmunol.abh3634?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_…
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review: vaccine
NPRC/Institute: Wuhan Institute of Virology, Tongji Medical College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Co.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, inactivated vaccine, mice and primates, immune response
Summary of Study: The authors tested the safety, immunogenicity and efficacy of an inactivated vaccine based on on the whole viral particles in human ACE2 transgenic mouse and in NHPs. This inactivated vaccine successfully induced SARS-CoV-2-specific neutralizing antibodies in both models.
References: PMID: 33835391 / doi: 10.1007/s12250-021-00376-w
Contact Info: Xing-Lou Yang: [email protected]; Shuo Shen: [email protected]; Zhi-Ming Yuan: [email protected]
URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs12250-021-00376-w
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: multiple species
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: Xiamen University, The University of HongKong, Shantou University, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, review of the primate models, clinical symptoms, pathogenesis, applications
Summary of Study: Review summarizes the benefits and caveats of NHP models currently available for SARS-CoV-2 and discusses key topics including model optimization, extended application, and clinical translation.
References: PMID: 34490832 / doi: 10.1080/22221751.2021.1976598
Contact Info: Tong Cheng: [email protected]; Ningshao Xia: [email protected]
URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/22221751.2021.1976598
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: Kazan State Medical Academy; Kazan State Medical University; Kazan Federal University
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, infection, pathogenicity, eye surface, literature meta analysis, primates
Summary of Study: There is a possibility of COVID-19 transmission through the eye surface. Eye protection measures should be undertaken when working with potentially infected patients.
References: PMID: 34410064 / doi: 10.17116/oftalma2021137041104
Contact Info: not provided
URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34410064/
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: pigtail macaques
Year Published: 2021
Study Type/Review: vaccine
NPRC/Institute: University of Melbourne, Monash University
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, prime-boost protein subunit vaccine, mice and primates
Summary of Study: Both S and RBD vaccines are comparably immunogenic and produced strong serological neutralizing responses in pig-tailed macaques. Overall, immunization with recombinant S immunogens reliably elicits potentially protective humoral immunity at levels in excess of those observed in convalescent human, confirming recombinant S proteins as promising vaccine candidates.
References: PMID: 33658497 / doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-21665-8
Contact Info: Stephen Kent: [email protected]
URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-21665-8
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species:
Year Published: 2020
Study Type/Review: vaccine
NPRC/Institute: Division of Pathogenesis and Disease Regulation, Department of Pathology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, pathogenicity, primates
Summary of Study: Neutralizing antibody-dependent and -independent immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 in cynomolgus macaques
References: doi:10.1101/2020.08.18.256446
Contact Info: [email protected]
URL: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.18.256446v1
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2020
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Models of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases
Keywords: coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, nonhuman primate, neutralizing antibodies
Summary of Study: Rhesus macaques were inoculated intratracheally with SARS-CoV-2/WH-09/human/2020/CHN. Neutralizing antibodies against SARS CoV-2 might protect rhesus macaques which have undergone an initial infection from reinfection during early recovery days.
References: doi: 10.1101/2020.03.13.990226; Preprint
Contact Info: Bao L, et al.; correspondence to Chuan Qin ([email protected])
URL: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.13.990226v2
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2020
Study Type/Review: vaccine
NPRC/Institute: Oregon National Primate Research Center, Harvard, and others
Keywords: coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, vaccine, nonhuman primate
Summary of Study: A series of DNA vaccine candidates expressing different forms of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) protein were evaluated in rhesus macaques. Vaccine-elicited neutralizing antibody titers correlated with protective efficacy, demonstrating vaccine protection against SARS-CoV-2 in NHPs.
References: doi: 10.1126/science.abc6284; PMID: 32434945
Contact Info: Yu, et al.; correspondence to Dan H. Barouch ([email protected]
URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32434945/
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2020
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: Institute of Medical Biology, Yunnan Province, China
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, pathogenesis, nasal route of infection. T cells, primates
Summary of Study: Rhesus macaques were infected with SARS-CoV-2 via the nasal route. Data suggested that T cell response and cytokine/chemokine changes in lungs should be considered as evaluation parameters for COVID-19 treatment and vaccine development (in addition to observation of virus shedding and pathological analysis).
References: PMID: 33180882/doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008949
Contact Info: Zhanlong He: [email protected] & Qihan Li: [email protected]
URL: https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1008949
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: african green monkeys
Year Published: 2020
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: University of Texas Medical Branch
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, pathogenesis, primates
Summary of Study: African green monkeys support robust SARS-CoV-2 replication and develop pronounced respiratory disease, which may more accurately reflect human COVID-19 cases than other nonhuman primate species.
References: PMID: 33235385/doi: 10.1038/s41590-020-00835-8
Contact Info: Thomas Geisbert: [email protected]
URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41590-020-00835-8
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2020
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: South Valley Univ., Qena, Egypt
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, many species, review
Summary of Study: This article reviews the possible animal reservoirs of SARS-CoV-2, as well as best suited models for further study.
References: PMID: 33363234/doi: 10.3389/fvets.2020.596391
Contact Info: Mohamed Mahdy: [email protected]
URL: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2020.596391/full
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: multiple species
Year Published: 2020
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: University of Calgary
Keywords: coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, ACE2, nonhuman primate
Summary of Study: Authors conducted a study to show that all NHPs exhibit the same set of twelve key amino acid residues as human ACE2, putting them at danger of infection from humans.
References: doi: 10.1101/2020.04.09.034967
Contact Info: Melin AD, et al.; correspondence to Amanda Melin ([email protected])
URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32511330/
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV
NHP Species: multiple species
Year Published: 2020
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: NIAID
Keywords: beta coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2, receptor sequence binding
Summary of Study: Authors show that host protease processing during viral entry is a significant barrier for several lineage B viruses and that bypassing this barrier allows several lineage B viruses to enter human cells through an unknown receptor. They also demonstrate how different lineage B viruses can recombine to gain entry into human cells, and confirm that human ACE2 is the receptor for the recently emerging SARS-CoV-2.
References: doi: 10.1038/s41564-020-0688-y
Contact Info: Letko M, et al.; correspondence to Michael Letko ([email protected])
URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32094589/
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV
NHP Species: multiple species
Year Published: 2020
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, China
Keywords: coronavirus, infectious disease, respiratory syndrome, animal model, vaccine, drug discovery
Summary of Study: The authors reviewed a variety of animal models, including NHPs. Individual NHP studies are represented elsewhere in this document.
References: doi: 10.1080/22221751.2020.1764871; PMID: 32378471
Contact Info: Yuan L, et al.; correspondence to Ningshao Xia ([email protected])

URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32378471/
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2020
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: Mabwell Bioscience, Shanghai, China
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, therapeutics, neutralizing antibody, primates
Summary of Study: A single dose of monoclonal antibody MW05 (after introducing mutation to the Fc region) blocks infection of SARS-CoV-2 in prophylactic treatment and clears SARS-CoV-2 in three days in rhesus monkeys.
References: PMID: 33188207/doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-19568-1
Contact Info: Datao Liu: [email protected]
URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-19568-1
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species:
Year Published: 2020
Study Type/Review: vaccine
NPRC/Institute: KU Leuven, Belgium
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, live virus-vectored vaccine candidate, primates
Summary of Study: Vaccine candidate YF-SO (a live virus-vectored SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate using the yellow fever 17D(YF17D) vaccine as a vector to express a non-cleavable prefusion form of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike antigen) prevents infection with SARS-CoV-2 in a stringent hamster model as well as in non-human primates.
References: PMID: 33260195/doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-3035-9
Contact Info: Johan Neyts: [email protected]
URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-3035-9
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2020
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: Yerkes NPRC
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, Baricitinib, immunologic and virologic efficacy, primates
Summary of Study: The authors investigated the immunologic and virologic efficacy of baricitinib in a rhesus macaque model of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Animals treated with baricitinib showed reduced inflammation, decreased lung infiltration of inflammatory cells, reduced NETosis activity, and more limited lung pathology. These data support a beneficial role for the use of baricitinib as a frontline treatment for inflammation induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection.
References: PMID: 33278358/doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.11.007
Contact Info: Steven Bosinger: [email protected]
URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867420314665?via%3Dihub=
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2020
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Baruch S. Blumberg Institute
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, animal ACE2, receptor, entry, furin cleavage, animal hosts
Summary of Study: Receptor activity of ACE2 was examined in 14 mammal species, including the rhesus macaque. Rhesus exhibited the highest ACE2 receptor activity.
References: doi: 10.1101/2020.04.19.048710; Preprint
Contact Info: Zhao X, et al.; correspondence to Xuesen Zhao ([email protected])
URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32661139/
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2020
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and more
Keywords: scRNA-seq, interferon, ISG, ACE2, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, influenza, non-human primate, human, mouse
Summary of Study: The authors analyzed human, macaque, and mouse scRNA-seq data sets across health and disease to uncover putative targets of SARS-CoV-2 among tissue-resident cell subsets. Data suggest that SARS-CoV-2 could exploit species-specific interferon-driven upregulation of ACE2, a tissue-protective mediator during lung injury, to enhance infection.
References: doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.04.035; PMID: 32413319
Contact Info: Ziegler CGK, et al.; correspondence to Jose Ordovas-Montanes ([email protected])
URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32413319/
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2020
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan, China
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, Gastrointestinal Tract, primates
Summary of Study: Both intranasal and intragastric inoculation with SARS-CoV-2 caused pneumonia and GI dysfunction in the rhesus macaque model. Inflammatory cytokines are possible connections for the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 between the respiratory and digestive systems.
References: PMID: 33307034/doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2020.12.001
Contact Info: Xiaozhong Peng: [email protected]
URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S001650852035527X?via%3Dihub=
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2020
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: SoLongevity Research, Milan, Italy
Keywords: SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2, cross-reactive immunity, pathogenesis, primates
Summary of Study: Review Article discussing the potential of cross-reactive immunity to drive the immunopathogenesis of COVID-19 and its implications for current efforts to develop immune-based therapies and vaccines.
References: PMID: 33178193/doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.567710
Contact Info: Alberto Beretta: [email protected]
URL: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2020.567710/full
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2020
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: Chinese Ministry of Health
Keywords: coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, viral transmission, nonhuman primate
Summary of Study: Rhesus macaques were inoculated with SARS-CoV-2/WH-09/human/2020/CHN via conjunctival, intratracheal, and intragastric routes. Results suggest that conjunctiva is a potential portal for viral transmission; virus was also detected after IT inoculation. No virus was detected after IG inoculation.
References: doi: 10.1101/2020.03.13.990036; Preprint
Contact Info: Deng W, et al.; correspondence to Chuan Qin ([email protected])
URL: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.13.990036v2.full
Coronavirus Investigated: MERS-CoV
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2020
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: NIAID
Keywords: MERS-CoV, animal model, antiviral, remdesivir, therapy.
Summary of Study: The efficacy of prophylactic and therapeutic remdesivir treatment was tested in a rhesus macaque model of MERS-CoV infection. Prophylactic remdesivir treatment completely prevented MERS-CoV-induced clinical disease; therapeutic remdesivir treatment also provided a clear clinical benefit. The data support testing the efficacy of remdesivir treatment in the context of a MERS clinical trial.
References: doi: 10.1073/pnas.1922083117; PMID: 32054787
Contact Info: de Wit E, et al.; Correspondence to Emmie de Wit ([email protected])
URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32054787/
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: multiple species
Year Published: 2020
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: University of Minnesota
Keywords: 2019-nCoV, SARS coronavirus, ACE2, animal reservoir, cross-species transmission, human-to-human transmission
Summary of Study: The authors' decade-long structural studies on the receptor recognition by SARS-CoV have identified key interactions between SARS-CoV spike protein and its host receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which regulate both the cross-species and human-to-human transmissions of SARS-CoV.
References: doi: 10.1128/JVI.00127-20
Contact Info: Wan Y, et al.; correspondence to Fang Li ([email protected])
URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31996437/
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2020
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: NIAID
Keywords: coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, animal models, viral load, nonhuman primate
Summary of Study: Rhesus macaques were inoculated with SARS-CoV-2 (isolate nCoV WA1-2020). Data established that the rhesus macaque recapitulates human disease with respect to virus replication and shedding, the presence of pulmonary infiltrates, histological lesions and seroconversion.
References: doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-2324-7; PMID: 32396922
Contact Info: Munster VJ, et al.; correspondence to Emmie de Wit ([email protected])
URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32396922/
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2020
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Comparative Medicine Center
Keywords: pathogenicity, pneumonia, rhesus macaque model, SARS-CoV-2
Summary of Study: SARS-CoV-2 caused more severe interstitial pneumonia in old monkeys than that in young monkeys. Rhesus macaque models infected with SARS-CoV-2 provided insight into the pathogenic mechanism and facilitated the development of vaccines and therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2 infection.
References: doi: 10.1002/ame2.12108
Contact Info: Yu P, et al.; correspondence to Chuan Qin ([email protected]) and Wenjie Tan ([email protected])
URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32318665/
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: rhesus macaques
Year Published: 2020
Study Type/Review:
NPRC/Institute: National Institute of Biologicals, Noida, India
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, many species, review
Summary of Study: This review article finds the rhesus macaque most closely resembles the SARS-CoV-2 infection observed in humans.
References: PMID: 33283030/doi: 10.1007/s13337-020-00637-4
Contact Info: Suresh Kumar: [email protected]
URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13337-020-00637-4
Coronavirus Investigated: SARS-CoV-2
NHP Species: pigtail macaques
Year Published: 2020
Study Type/Review: vaccine
NPRC/Institute: University of Washington, Washington National Primate Research Center
Keywords: coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, vaccine, RNA, replicon, nanoparticle, nonhuman primate
Summary of Study: Single-dose intramuscular vaccination with LION/repRNA-CoV2S elicited antibody responses that potently neutralized SARS-CoV-2 in pigtail macaques.
References: doi: 10.1101/2020.05.28.121640; Preprint
Contact Info: Erasmus JH, et al.; correspondence to Deborah Fuller ([email protected])
URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32511417/