The nation has approved its first domestically-developed mRNA vaccine against Covid-19, CSPC Pharmaceutical Group said on Wednesday.

The mainland has been racing to develop vaccines using messenger RNA (mRNA) technology since early 2020 and the long-awaited approval gives authorities an additional option to tackle future outbreaks and a base for development against newly emerging variants, scientists said.

The firm said its vaccine trials showed that adverse effects were substantially lower in an elderly group compared with an adult group, which could be help the country, which has stressed the need to focus on protecting its vulnerable elderly population.

It added the independently-developed mRNA vaccine SYS6006 targets some major Omicron variants, and its booster dose showed good neutralisation effect against Omicron subvariants BA.5, BF.7, BQ.1.1., XBB.1.5 and CH.1.1. in clinical trials. (Reuters)