Virological characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2.75 variant. Saito et al.

SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2.75 variant emerged in May 2022. BA.2.75 is a BA.2 descendant but is phylogenetically different from BA.5, the currently predominant BA.2 descendant. Here, we showed that the effective reproduction number of BA.2.75 is greater than that of BA.5. Neutralization assay showed that the immunogenicity of BA.2.75 is different from BA.5. We determined the sensitivity of BA.2.75 to a panel of clinically available antiviral drugs and antibodies. The BA.2.75 spike exhibited a profoundly higher affinity for human ACE2. The fusogenicity, growth efficiency in human alveolar epithelial cells, and intrinsic pathogenicity in hamsters of BA.2.75 were greater than those of BA.2. Our multilevel investigations suggest that BA.2.75 acquired virological properties independent of BA.5, and the potential risk of BA.2.75 to global health is greater than that of BA.5