Kreer, C.C.KreerZehner, M.M.ZehnerWeber, T.T.WeberErcanoglu, M.S.M.S.ErcanogluGieselmann, L.L.GieselmannRohde, C.C.RohdeHalwe, S.S.HalweKorenkov, M.M.KorenkovSchommers, P.P.SchommersVanshylla, K.K.VanshyllaCristanziano, V. DiV. DiCristanzianoJanicki, H.H.JanickiBrinker, R.R.BrinkerAshurov, A.A.AshurovKrähling, V.V.KrählingKupke, A.A.KupkeCohen-Dvashi, H.H.Cohen-DvashiKoch, M.M.KochEckert, J.M.J.M.EckertLederer, S.S.LedererPfeifer, N.N.PfeiferWolf, T.T.WolfVehreschild, M.J.G.T.M.J.G.T.VehreschildWendtner, C.C.WendtnerDiskin, R.R.DiskinGruell, H.H.GruellBecker, S.S.Becker2022-03-062022-03-062020https://publica.fraunhofer.de/handle/publica/26700710.1016/j.cell.2020.06.044The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has unprecedented implications for public health, social life, and the world economy. Because approved drugs and vaccines are limited or not available, new options for COVID-19 treatment and prevention are in high demand. To identify SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing antibodies, we analyzed the antibody response of 12 COVID-19 patients from 8 to 69 days after diagnosis. By screening 4,313 SARS-CoV-2-reactive B cells, we isolated 255 antibodies from different time points as early as 8 days after diagnosis. Of these, 27 potently neutralized authentic SARS-CoV-2 with IC100 as low as 0.04 mg/mL, showing a broad spectrum of variable (V) genes and low levels of somatic mutations. Interestingly, potential precursor sequences were identified in naive B cell repertoires from 48 healthy individuals who were sampled before the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing antibodies are readily generated from a diverse pool of precursors, fostering hope for rapid induction of a protective immune response upon vaccination.en540571572journal article