AstraZeneca Discontinues its COVID-19 Vaccine

AstraZeneca is removing its COVID-19 vaccine, Vaxzevria, from the market, according to a report on CNN. The company cited low sales for its removal.¹

The vaccine was not authorized or approved in the United States and sales had been lagging globally. The sales of the vaccine went from almost $4 billion in 2021 to $12 million in 2023.¹ The European Medicines Agency (EMA), the medical governing body of the continent, announced the vaccine’s removal on its website and specifically wrote: “The marketing authorisation for Vaxzevria (SRD) has been withdrawn at the request of the marketing-authorisation holder.”²

The vaccine had been linked to vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia, which was characterized as a rare adverse effect, and has had to deal with subsequent lawsuits.

A formal media statement was not provided on the company’s website, and the company’s focus for COVID-19 appears to be pivoting to its investigational long-acting monoclonal antibody (LAAB), Sipavibart (formerly AZD3152). According to AstraZeneca, Sipavibart was designed to provide broad and potent coverage across Omicron and ancestral viral variants by neutralizing spike protein interaction with the host receptor ACE2.³

References
Ziady H. AstraZeneca withdraws Covid-19 vaccine, citing low demand. CNN. May 8, 2024. Accesed May 9, 2024. https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/08/business/astrazeneca-covid-vaccine-withdrawal/index.html

2. Vaxzevria COVID-19 Vaccine (ChAdOx1-S [recombinant]). EMA. Accessed May 9, 2024.
https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/EPAR/vaxzevria-previously-covid-19-vaccine-astrazeneca

3. AstraZeneca advances the science of infectious disease protection at ECCMID 2024. AstraZeneca news release. April 17, 2024. Accessed May 9, 2024.
https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2024/astrazeneca-advances-the-science-of-infectious-disease-protection-at-eccmid-2024.html