add 2025_simonich (#63)

Author: jbloom

papers/2025_simonich.md

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+---
+layout: paper
+title: "RSV F evolution escapes some monoclonal antibodies but does not strongly erode neutralization by human polyclonal sera"
+date: "2025-03-12"
+authors: 
+    - "Cassandra AL Simonich"
+    - "Teagan A McMahon"
+    - "Xiaohui Ju"
+    - "Timothy C Yu"
+    - "Natalie Brunette"
+    - "Terry Stevens-Ayers"
+    - "Michael J Boeckh"
+    - "Neil P King"
+    - "Alexander L Greninger"
+    - "Jesse D Bloom"
+journal: "bioRxiv"
+doi: "10.1101/2025.03.11.642476"
+link: "https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.03.11.642476"
+image: "/assets/papers/2025_simonich.jpg"
+keywords:
+    - "RSV"
+    - "Immunity"
+selected: false
+---
+
+## Abstract
+Vaccines and monoclonal antibodies targeting the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) fusion protein (F) have recently begun to be widely used to protect infants and high-risk adults. Some other viral proteins evolve to erode polyclonal antibody neutralization and escape individual monoclonal antibodies. However, little is known about how RSV F evolution affects antibodies. Here we develop an experimental system for measuring neutralization titers against RSV F using pseudotyped lentiviral particles. This system is easily adaptable to evaluate neutralization of relevant clinical strains. We apply this system to demonstrate that natural evolution of RSV F leads to escape from some monoclonal antibodies, but at most modestly affects neutralization by polyclonal serum antibodies. Overall, our work sheds light on RSV antigenic evolution and describes a tool to measure the ability of antibodies and sera to neutralize contemporary RSV strains.

posts/2025-03-12_rsv-evol-neut.md

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+---
+layout: post
+title: RSV F evolution escapes some monoclonal antibodies but does not strongly erode neutralization by human polyclonal sera
+date: 2025-03-12
+author: Jesse Bloom
+---
+
+In a new study [posted on bioRxiv today](https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.11.642476v1), we developed a pseudovirus neutralization assay for RSV's F protein, and then used that assay to quantify the extent of antigenic evolution of F.
+We think this is an important study because RSV is a top cause of infant hospitalizations, and antibodies and vaccines are coming into widespread use.
+
+---
+
+For accessible summaries of the study, see:
+
+  - [This Bluesky thread](https://bsky.app/profile/jbloomlab.bsky.social/post/3lk7n4etj6c2r), which can be read more easily in [threaded form here](https://skywriter.blue/pages/jbloomlab.bsky.social/post/3lk7n4etj6c2r)
+  - [This X thread](https://x.com/jbloom_lab/status/1899956286378451264)
+
+This study was lead by Cassie Simonich (a pediatrics medical fellow working in our lab) and Teagan McMahon, who together have pioneered the RSV studies in our lab.
+
+RSV is the top cause of infant hospitalizations in the USA.
+Now that a monoclonal antibody is recommended for infants born in the USA during RSV season, it is also going to come under new antigenic pressure.
+This study both develops the tools to study its antigenic evolution, and applies them to answer an important question.
+See the [full paper](https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.11.642476v1) or the summaries linked above to see what we found!