Beijing: Moderna, an American pharmaceutical and biotechnology company based in Cambridge on Wednesday (local time) announced that it has begun clinical trials of a booster dose of a vaccine designed specifically to combat the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

CNN reported that the trials will involve a total of 600 adults, which will take place at up to 24 sites in the US. Some participants will have already received two doses of Moderna’s vaccine, and some will have received a booster shot.

“We are reassured by the antibody persistence against Omicron at six months after the currently authorized 50 mg booster of mRNA-1273. Nonetheless, given the long-term threat demonstrated by Omicron’s immune escape, we are advancing our Omicron-specific variant vaccine booster candidate and we are pleased to begin this part of our Phase 2 study,” CNN citing CEO Stephane Bancel’s statement reported.

“We are also evaluating whether to include this Omicron-specific candidate in our multivalent booster program,” it added.