United States: In the midst of the ongoing conflict related to the side-effects possessed by coronavirus vaccines, AstraZeneca has announced the withdrawal of its vaccine from the market. According to the vaccine manufacturers, the reason cited was the decline in demand of the new shots.
AstraZeneca has announced that Vaxzevria is the vaccine which faced withdrawal, it is to be noted that the vaccine was developed in collaboration with the University of Oxford. As the experts suggested, it is one of the prime COVID-19 vaccines of the manufacturer across the world, as per the reports by CNN.
However, the company has also claimed that it has not generated any revenue from the vaccine since April 2023. As per reports by CNN, AstraZeneca mentioned, “As multiple, variant Covid-19 vaccines have … been developed, there is a surplus of available updated vaccines. This has led to a decline in demand for Vaxzevria, which is no longer being manufactured or supplied.”
Furthermore, the statement read, “AstraZeneca has therefore taken the decision to initiate withdrawal of the marketing authorizations for Vaxzevria within Europe.”
The step has been taken by the manufacturers after the European Medicines Agency announced the withdrawal of the vaccine – which means that AstraZeneca cannot sell its Vaxzevria in the markets of the European Union countries.
In this matter, AstraZeneca mentioned that it will coordinate with the regulators of the other countries and will find out possible paths to “align on a clear path forward,” along with removing the market authorizations for the vaccine where commercial demands are not expected.
The statement by AstraZeneca read, “We are incredibly proud of the role Vaxzevria played… Our efforts have been recognized by governments around the world and are widely regarded as being a critical component of ending the global pandemic.”
Dr. Michael Head, a senior scholar in worldwide health at the University of Southampton in England, opined that the primary rationale for the withdrawal was the superior nature of other Covid vaccines, particularly the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, which he described as “fundamentally superior products.”
“AstraZeneca is commendable, yet the mRNA formulations…exceed it,” he outlined. “They boast superior efficacy, and the mRNA platforms are more readily adaptable to the latest Covid strains. Consequently, they constitute a pivotal component of the enduring strategies of most nations.”
A Bumpy Journey to Pandemic Triumph
The UK-headquartered pharmaceutical company, renowned for its prevalent cancer treatments, commenced the Covid-19 ordeal with minimal expertise in vaccine development. The triumph of Vaxzevria was decidedly uncertain.
Shortly after the rollout commenced, the firm encountered criticism from policymakers and health authorities in Europe and the United States for assorted blunders, encompassing errors during clinical trials and the omission of pivotal data from public declarations. Production delays also strained relations with EU officials.
In April 2021, regulatory agencies in the EU and the United Kingdom revised the vaccine’s information to include a reference to a perilous blood clotting ailment as a conceivable, albeit rare, adverse effect. UK regulators advised at that time that healthy adults below 30 be offered alternative vaccines as, for them, the hazards of Vaxzevria outweighed the perils of severe COVID-19 illness.
Despite these obstacles, AstraZeneca overcame adversity, garnering nearly USD 4 billion in Vaxzevria sales worldwide in 2021, according to its financial reports. Initially, the vaccine was sold at cost, but the company indicated in late 2021 its anticipation of “modest” profits from the vaccine (AstraZeneca refrains from disclosing product-specific profit figures). Last year, Vaxzevria sales amounted to a mere USD 12 million.
The firm is currently embroiled in a collective lawsuit in the UK initiated by law firm Leigh Day on behalf of 51 plaintiffs alleging injuries purportedly induced by Vaxzevria. Twelve of the plaintiffs are representing a deceased loved one purportedly following a complication triggered by the vaccine linked to the blood clotting issue.
Amid the confusion, the spokesperson by AstraZeneca was also asked about the latest court case, who replied, “Our sympathy goes out to anyone who has lost loved ones or reported health problems. From the body of evidence in clinical trials and real-world data, the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine has continuously been shown to have an acceptable safety profile, and regulators around the world consistently state that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks of extremely rare potential side effects,” as reported by CNN.