AstraZeneca withdraws COVID-19 vaccine citing lack of demand

Article content

AstraZeneca Plc pulled its COVID-19 vaccine from the market due to lack of demand for a shot that initially raised hopes it would play a key role in protecting the world against the virus.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

AstraZeneca withdraws COVID-19 vaccine citing lack of demand Back to video

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

Play Video

The marketing authorization for the vaccine, Vaxzevria, in the European Union was withdrawn at the company’s request this week as the vaccine is no longer manufactured or supplied, Astra said in a statement. The decision was not related to safety reasons, it said.

Astra’s vaccine, which was developed with Oxford University, was initially offered on a not-for-profit basis and was seen as a win for Britain, with then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson publicly receiving his first dose.

However, the rollout was plagued by concerns about its efficacy and safety, starting with French President Emmanuel Macron calling it “quasi-ineffective” in older adults shortly after it was approved in the EU.

The vaccine, which didn’t require ultra-cold storage as some of the rival COVID-19 shots did, was seen as a good option to inoculate large portions of the globe. More than 3 billion doses were supplied.

After Macron’s comments, a bigger blow came when regulators began investigating the vaccine’s link to very rare cases of unusual blood clots. While regulators ultimately found that the risk-benefit of the vaccine was positive, the damage was done.

As countries looked to procure booster shots for the populations, Astra’s vaccine was sidelined in favor of shots using mRNA technology, especially one developed by a partnership of BioNTech SE and Pfizer Inc. Astra faces legal challenges from families of patients who died after receiving the vaccine.

Companies including Pfizer and Moderna Inc. have since developed updated COVID-19 vaccines targeting newer variants. Astra said that this has led to “a surplus of available updated vaccines” and a decline in demand for its shot.