PARIS: Late-stage data on an experimental COVID-19 vaccine from Sanofi and GSK has showed the shot confers protection against the Omicron variant of the vaccine, the French drugmaker said on Friday.

The vaccine targets the beta variant - first identified in South Africa - as well as the original Wuhan strain of the virus.

In a trial involving 13,000 adults, when given as a first dose the vaccine demonstrated an efficacy rate of 64.7% in people with symptomatic COVID, and 72% efficacy against infections specifically caused by the Omicron variant.

“Sanofi-GSK’s vaccine is the first candidate to demonstrate efficacy in a placebo-controlled trial in an environment of high Omicron variant circulation,” Sanofi said in a statement.

Sanofi’s Paris-listed shares were up about 1.4% in morning trading.

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The new data supporting the vaccine will be submitted to regulatory authorities with the hope of making the shot available later this year, the companies said on Friday.