A Chinese mRNA vaccine candidate showed a sharper drop in neutralizing antibody activity against Omicron than against the non-mutated coronavirus in a small study, but a booster readily induced antibody production in animal tests, a research paper said.

The ARCoV vaccine, jointly developed by the Academy of Military Medical Sciences (AMMS), Suzhou Abogen Biosciences and Walvax Biotechnology, is currently being tested in an international Phase III clinical trial.

It is China's locally developed mRNA (messenger RNA) vaccine candidate furthest along in trial progress. The country has yet to...