Efficacy of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in CLL patients

CLL patients have an increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease and mortality. A study in Israel investigated the efficacy of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine in patients with CLL. Among 167 CLL-patients receiving two vaccine doses, 21 days apart, the antibody response was 39.5%. A comparison between 52 CLL patients and 52 sex- and age-matched healthy controls revealed a significantly reduced response rate among patients (52% versus 100%; aOR=0.010; p<0.001). Response rate was 79.2% among patients who obtained clinical remission after treatment, 55.2% among treatment-naïve patients, and 16% among patients under treatment at the time of vaccination. In multivariate analysis, the independent predictors of respons were younger age, female sex, no current active treatmen, IgG levels ≥ 550 mg/dl, and IgM levels ≥ 40 mg/dl.