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Healthcare workers prepare doses of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine at the vaccine hub at the Auditorium della Tecnica in Rome, June 2021.
London
CNN
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AstraZeneca will halt production of its highly successful coronavirus vaccine, citing reduced demand as large quantities of new vaccines become available.
something called a vaccine Vaxzevria was developed in partnership with the University of Oxford and is one of the leading Covid-19 vaccines around the world, with more than three vaccines in use. One billion doses have been delivered since the first dose was given in the UK on January 4, 2021.
However, the vaccine has not generated revenue for AstraZeneca since April 2023, the company said.
“With multiple variant coronavirus vaccines in development, there is a surplus of the latest vaccines available. This has reduced demand for Vaxebria and it is currently not being manufactured or supplied.” said in a statement shared with CNN on Wednesday.
“AstraZeneca has therefore taken the decision to begin withdrawing the marketing authorization for Vaxzebria within Europe,” it added.
The European Medicines Agency also announced the withdrawal in a notice on its website. This means that Vaxebria is no longer authorized for sale or distribution in European Union countries.
AstraZeneca said it would work with regulators in other countries to “arrange a clear path forward,” including withdrawing marketing authorization for the vaccine if future commercial demand is not expected.
“We are extremely proud of the role Vaxebria has played…Our work has been recognized by governments around the world and is widely seen as a key element in ending the global pandemic. AstraZeneca said.
Dr. Michael Head, a senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton in the UK, said the main reason for the withdrawal was that other coronavirus vaccines, including the messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, were “inherently better products. .”
The new mRNA vaccines use genetic material to instruct cells to make the coronavirus spike protein, which causes the body to produce antibodies to fight the actual coronavirus infection. AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine uses a common cold virus found in chimpanzees as a viral vector to carry the coronavirus’s spike protein into cells.
“AstraZeneca is very good, but the mRNA product…is even better,” Head said. “They have high efficacy and mRNA platforms are more easily adaptable to the latest Covid variants. They therefore form a key part of most countries’ long-term strategies.”
A rocky road to pandemic success
The UK-based pharmaceutical company, known for its popular cancer drugs, entered the coronavirus crisis with little experience developing vaccines. And Vaxzevria’s success was not guaranteed.
Soon after the rollout began, the company came under fire from policymakers and health officials in Europe and the United States for a variety of lapses, including mistakes during clinical trials and omitting key information from public statements. Production delays also strained relations with EU leaders.
In April 2021, information on vaccines was updated by the EU and UK medicines regulators to include the following references: Although rare, a dangerous blood clotting condition can occur as a side effect. British regulators said at the time that healthy adults under 30 should receive other vaccines because the risk of Vaxebria was greater than the risk of severe illness from COVID-19. .
AstraZeneca overcame those setbacks to sell about $4 billion worth of Vaxzebria worldwide in 2021, according to financial results. The company initially sold the vaccine at cost price, but said it expected to start generating “reasonable” profits from the vaccine by the end of 2021. (AstraZeneca does not report profit figures by product). Vaxzevria’s sales last year were just $12 million.
The company is facing a class action lawsuit in the UK brought by law firm Leigh Day on behalf of 51 plaintiffs over injuries allegedly caused by Vaxevria. Twelve of the plaintiffs represent loved ones who died from complications related to blood clotting problems allegedly caused by the vaccine.
Asked about the lawsuit, an AstraZeneca spokesperson said: “Our hearts go out to those who have lost a loved one or have reported a health problem…based on the body of evidence from clinical trials and real-world data.” , the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine continues to be used.” It has been shown to have an acceptable safety profile, and regulatory authorities around the world have consistently stated that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks of extremely rare potential side effects. ”
This story has been updated with additional information.
