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Vaxzevria COVID-19 Vaccine

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February 8, 2024
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Vaxzevria COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca

The Vaxzevria - AstraZeneca COVID-19 (AZD1222) (ChAdOx1 nCov-19) (C19VAZ) vaccine is made from a virus (ChAdOx1), a weakened version of a common cold virus (adenovirus). In addition, genetic material has been added to the ChAdOx1 construct and used to make proteins from the SARS-CoV-2 beta coronavirus called Spike glycoprotein (S). After vaccination, the surface spike protein is produced, priming the human immune system to attack SARS-CoV-2 if it later infects the body.

This protein is found on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 and plays an essential role in the infection pathway of the coronavirus. SARS-CoV-2 uses its spike protein to bind to ACE2 receptors in human cells, enter the cells, and cause an infection. After vaccination, the surface spike protein is produced, priming the immune system to attack the coronavirus if it later infects the body and causes COVID-19. However, Vaxzevria does not contain coronavirus and cannot cause COVID-19, says the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

On June 28, 2021, the University of Oxford published a study on the preprint server of The Lancet that demonstrated that antibody levels remain elevated from baseline for at least one year following a single dose. In addition, a sub-analysis from the Oxford-led COV001 and COV002 trials with Vaxzevria found strong immune responses following a prolonged second dose interval of up to 45 weeks or a third boosting dose.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) authorized Vaxzevria in February 2021. On March 26, 2021, the EMA posted 'Vaxzevria' for COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca. The HUN-VE phase III clinical trial conducted across three continents published an interim analysis on November 25, 2021, the determinate the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 showed significant 70.4% effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 virus infection after two doses. In addition, on December 16, 2021, the NEJM published an ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Phase 3 Safety and Efficacy of the AZD1222 Vaccine - CONCLUSIONS: AZD1222 was safe and efficacious in preventing symptomatic and severe COVID-19 across diverse populations that included older adults in the significant phase 3 clinical trial. On May 23, 2022, Vaxzevria was granted approval by the EMA as a third-dose booster in adults. The WHO published The Oxford/AstraZeneca (ChAdOx1-S [recombinant] vaccine) COVID-19 vaccine: what you need to know, on June 13, 2022.

On July 13, 2022, an expert review of data from 79 real-world studies showed that Vaxzevria and the available mRNA COVID-19 vaccines provide equally effective protection against hospitalization and death from COVID-19 following two doses. Expert Review of Vaccines reported the study findings on June 30, 2022. Since December 2022, according to the latest scientific evidence, this vaccine has been indicated for people aged 40 and over in Brazil.

AstraZeneca announced on April 14, 2023, presentations regarding Vaxzevria's persistently high immunogenicity and between-country differences driven by hybrid immunity from primary-series AZD2816 or AZD1222 and Omicron infections; Relative effectiveness of a 2nd vs. 1st COVID-19 vaccine booster against hospitalization with SARS due to SARS-CoV-2 in high-risk individuals: a test-negative design case-control study (REFORCO) using Brazilian national data; COVIDRIVE: the first public-private partnership to conduct pan-European COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness studies. On June 30, 2023, a study concluded the primary-series AZD1222 vaccination confers protection against COVID-19 hospitalization with enduring levels of VE through ≥6 months.

AstraZeneca's Vaxzevria (AZD1222) (ChAdOx1 nCov-19) (C19VAZ) vaccine's Accession Number: DB15656. The UNII Preferred Substance Name: B5S3K2V0G8. A listing of clinical trials is updated. As of October 2023, the EMA EMEA/H/C/005675 continues authorizing Vaxzevia.

AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine Versions

Three versions of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine are produced, including Vaxzeria, AstraZeneca-SKBio (Republic of Korea), and the Serum Institute of India (CoviShield) have been Listed for emergency use by WHO. On November 19, 2021, the Australian government published patient fact sheets in various languages about what to expect after being given the Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca) COVID-19 vaccine. It is authorized in Australia, Canada, Europe, the U.K., and over 100 countries and is Listed by the WHO

Vaxzevria Availability

Since authorization in 2021, AstraZeneca and its partners released two billion doses of their COVID-19 vaccine to more than 170 countries, such as Australia, BrazilCanada, and the U.K. Vaxzevria is estimated to have helped prevent 50 million COVID-19 cases, about five million hospitalizations, and saved more than one million lives worldwide. In addition, about 69 million doses of Vaxzevria in adults were administered in the EU/EEA from authorization to May 15, 2022. On December 30, 2020, the U.K.'s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency authorized an emergency supply of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca for the active immunization of individuals 18 or older. On January 6, 2021, the Serum Institute of India obtained emergency use authorization in India for AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine. On January 12, 2021, the EMA received an application for conditional marketing authorization for COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca. On January 29, 2021, the EMA recommended granting conditional marketing authorization for the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in 18-year-olds. 

CoviShield Vaccine

India granted emergency approval for the vaccine co-developed by AstraZeneca Plc and the University of Oxford on January 1, 2021. Covishield is the Serum Institute of India version of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

Vaxzevria Dosing

Vaxzevria should be administered intramuscularly as two 0.5 mL doses given four to 12 weeks apart, with an interval greater than eight weeks preferable to maximize its efficacy. On September 17, 2021, the EMA's recommendation remained to continue giving the second dose of Vaxzevria between 4 and 12 weeks after the first, in line with the product information. There is no evidence delaying the second dose influences the risk of TTS. Where the second dose of Vaxzevria is not given, no definitive recommendations can be made on the use of a different vaccine for the second dose (see EMA/ECDC Joint Statement).

Vaxzevria Boosters

AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, Vaxzevria, was granted approval in the European Union by the EMA as a third-dose vaccine for adults on May 23, 2022. As a result, healthcare professionals can now use Vaxzevria as a third dose booster in patients previously given a primary vaccine schedule of either Vaxzevria or an EU-approved mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.

Vaxzevria Side Effects

As of June 17, 2022, the EMA reported available evidence does not support a causal relationship between myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism, and thrombosis with Vaxzevria. A total of 276,697 cases of suspected side effects were spontaneously reported from EU/EEA countries; 1,529 of these reported a fatal outcome, and about 69 million doses of Vaxzevria had been given to people in the EU/EEA. The EMA confirmed that the benefits of Vaxzevria continue to outweigh its risks. On February 1, 2022, the Annual of Internation Medicine published Original Research that concluded an exploratory retrospective cohort study among frontline personnel in Denmark that found the receipt of the AZD1222 vaccine was associated with a small excess risk for deep venous thrombosis.

Vaxzevria History

Oxford University's Jenner Institute developed the Vaxzevria (AZD1222) vaccine, working with the Oxford Vaccine Group. AZD1222 was co-invented by the University of Oxford and Vaccitech. Vaccitech owns the rights to the viral vector technology ChAdOx, used in the Oxford vaccine, and was co-founded by Professor Sarah Gilbert, who has led the project.

On November 18, 2020, The Lancet published a study review that describes this vaccine's safety and immunogenicity in a broader range of participants, including adults aged 70 years and older. The vaccine candidate, ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, appears to be better tolerated in older adults than younger adults and has similar immunogenicity across all age groups after a booster dose.

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on discovering, developing, and commercializing prescription medicines, primarily for treating diseases in three therapy areas - Onc Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory & Immunology. Based in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries.

Vaxzevria Ingredients

Vaxzevria AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine contains in one dose (0.5 ml) COVID-19 Vaccine (ChAdOx1-S recombinant) 5 × 10^10 viral particles (vp). ChAdOx1-S is a Recombinant, replication-deficient chimpanzee adenovirus vector encoding the SARS CoV 2 Spike (S) glycoprotein. Produced in the genetically modified human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells.

Produced in the genetically modified human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells and by recombinant DNA technology. This product contains genetically modified organisms. Vaxzevria - AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine (AZD1222) (C19VAZ): The complete list of ingredients is on this University of Oxford website. Vaxzevria comprises another virus (adenovirus family) modified to contain the gene for making a protein from SARS-CoV-2. The vaccine does not contain the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and cannot cause COVID-19.

Vaxzevria Indication

The Vaxzevria - AstraZeneca (AZD1222) (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19) vaccine candidate is being tested to prevent infection of SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19 disease.

Vaxzevria Women

While pregnancy puts women at higher risk of severe COVID-19, very little data are available to assess vaccine safety in pregnancy, wrote the WHO on September 2, 2021. Therefore, pregnant women may receive the vaccine if the benefit of vaccinating a pregnant woman outweighs the potential vaccine risks. 

Vaxzevria Children

The peer-reviewed journal The Lancet published on June 11, 2022, the findings from - Safety and immunogenicity of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) vaccine in children aged 6–17 years: a preliminary report of COV006, a phase 2 single-blind, randomized, controlled trial - that concluded - 'ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 is well tolerated and immunogenic in children aged 6–17 years, inducing concentrations of antibody that are similar to those associated with high efficacy in phase 3 studies in adults. No safety concerns were raised in this trial.'

Vaxzevria Storage

The Vaxzevria vaccine can be stored, transported, and handled under normal refrigerated conditions (2-8 degrees Celsius/ 36-46 degrees Fahrenheit) for at least six months and administered within existing healthcare settings.

Vaxzevria Vaccine News

February 8, 2024 - AstraZeneca announced -$17m for Vaxzevria revenues resulting from historic contracts.

April 27, 2023 - AstraZeneca reported $28 million in revenues from Vaxzevria (Q1 2022: $1,145m).

November 10, 2022 - AstraZeneca announced it withdrew its application for approval in the U.S.

July 13, 2022 - John L. Perez, Senior Vice President, Head of Late Development Vaccines & Immune Therapies Unit, AstraZeneca, said: "Real-world data offer crucial insights into the effectiveness of vaccines, including Vaxzevria. We are pleased that these data continue to show high levels of protection against severe clinical outcomes and further our understanding of vaccination's important role in the containment of COVID-19."

June 11, 2022 - The Lancet published a study: Safety and immunogenicity of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) vaccine in children aged 6–17 years: a preliminary report of COV006, a phase 2 single-blind, randomized, controlled trial. Interpretation - ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 is well tolerated and immunogenic in children aged 6–17 years, inducing concentrations of antibodies that are similar to those associated with high efficacy in phase 3 studies in adults. No safety concerns were raised in this trial.

May 23, 2022 - Mene Pangalos, EVP, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, said: "Today's marketing authorization for AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine as a third dose booster is an important step towards our goal of providing continued protection against COVID-19 for all populations. Ensuring a longer duration of immune protection is essential to the long-term management of COVID-19 globally, and boosters can address the waning of protection over time seen with all primary vaccine schedules to date."

April 11, 2022 - Local media reported Japan's health ministry canceled the purchase of 40 million doses of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine.

March 27, 2022 - A non-peer-reviewed study compared the dynamics of humoral and cellular immune responses up to 5 months after homologous or heterologous vaccination with either ChAdOx1-nCoV-19 (ChAd) or BNT162b2 (BNT) or both. These findings demonstrate that heterologous vaccination with ChAd and BNT is a potent approach to inducing long-term humoral and cellular immune protection.

March 17, 2022 - The Irish Times reported AstraZeneca's head of research and development, Sir Mene Pangalos, said the U.K. drugmaker 'would consider not submitting its Covid-19 vaccine for approval in the U.S. if it finds it is "banging its head against a brick wall indefinitely" with regulators.' Roughly 2.6 billion doses of AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine have been administered globally. 

March 13, 2022 - The findings of a non-peer-reviewed study showed that COVID-19 vaccines had provided sufficient protection against COVID-19-related hospitalization and ICU admission in the high-risk elderly population. 

March 2, 2022 - The NEJM published an Original Article that concluded that primary immunization with two doses of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 or BNT162b2 vaccine provided limited protection against symptomatic disease caused by the omicron variant. A BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 booster after either the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 or BNT162b2 primary course substantially increased protection, but that protection waned over time. 

February 3, 2022 - The U.S. NIH produced access to A public health perspective on the responsibility of mass media for the outcome of the anti-COVID-19 vaccination campaign: the AstraZeneca case

January 27, 2022 - The Lancet published an extensive analysis based on data from Itay: weakly rising rates of severe illness were observed for both the mRNA-based and adenovirus-vectored vaccines, the average rates never exceeding three cases per 10,000 person-months even after nine months from the complete vaccination.

January 24, 2022 - The EMA reported that the existing manufacturing site operated by Universal Farma in Guadalajara, Spain, will add a second filling line for the manufacturing of Vaxzevria.

January 13, 2022 - AstraZeneca confirmed an analysis showed positive results from a preliminary analysis of ongoing safety and immunogenicity trial (D7220C00001) showed that Vaxzevria, when given as a third dose booster, increased the immune response to Beta, Delta, Alpha, and Gamma SARS-CoV-2 variants, while a separate analysis of samples from the trial showed an increased antibody response to the Omicron variant.

January 4, 2022 - The U.S. FDA announced that it has found an additional three lots of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine drug substance manufactured at the Emergent facility in Maryland to be acceptable for use for potential export. The AstraZeneca vaccine is not authorized for use in the U.S., but the FDA understands that these AstraZeneca lots, or vaccines made from the lots, may now be exported for use. 

December 30, 2021 - A non-peer-reviewed study concluded by saying that antibody responses were low at six months after prior immunization with two doses of CoronaVac; however, all four vaccines administered as a third dose induced a significant increase in binding and neutralizing antibody, which may improve protection against infection.

December 23, 2021 - AstraZeneca announced Vaxzevria (ChAdOx1-S [Recombinant]) significantly boosted levels of antibodies against the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant (B.1.1.529) following a third dose booster, according to data from a non-peer-reviewed laboratory study.

December 20, 2021 - A non-peer-reviewed study supports Vaxzevria's effect against Omicron, with individuals vaccinated with two doses of Vaxzevria retaining neutralizing activity against Omicron. However, a decrease was seen compared to the original strain.

December 10, 2021 - The Irish Times reported an analysis by the U.K. Health Security Agency found a 3rd dose of the Vaxzevria vaccine 75% effective against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus variant named Omicron.

December 1, 2021 - The EMA's human medicines committee approved a new site to manufacture Vaxzevria operated by WuXi Biologics in Leverkusen, Germany. In addition to this new manufacturing facility, the CHMP gave a positive opinion on scaling up manufacturing to triple the batch size of the finished product at a site operated by Amylin, Ohio, in West Chester Township.

December 1, 2021 - A non-peer-reviewed study found heterologous COVID-19 boosting vaccination with BNT162b2 is the most immunogenic following the ChAdOx1 primary series.

November 17, 2021 - Malaysia Drug Control Authority granted conditional registration approval for the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca Solution for Injection for a third manufacturer, S.K. Bioscience Co., Ltd., South Korea. The registration holder for this vaccine is AstraZeneca Sdn. Bhd. DCA had previously granted conditional registration approval for the first manufacturer, AstraZeneca Nijmegen B.V., Netherlands, while the second manufacturer was Siam Bioscience Co., Ltd., Thailand. In addition, conditional approval for the use of AstraZeneca as booster doses.

November 15, 2021 - The U.K. Health Security Agency announced the first real-world study by UKHSA showing that two weeks after receiving a booster dose, protection against symptomatic infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus in adults aged 50 years and over was 93.1% in those with AstraZeneca as their primary vaccine course. As a result, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation recommended a booster vaccine program to eligible groups.

November 12, 2021 - AstraZeneca reported third-quarter 2021 COVID-19 vaccine sales of $1.05 billion. AstraZeneca has charged about $5 per COVID-19 vaccine at cost: the Year-to-date and Q3 2021 results presentation.

November 9, 2021 - Reuters reported AstraZeneca is creating a separate division for vaccines and antibody therapies.

November 1, 2021 - British Columbia's provincial health officer confirms booster shots will be mRNA vaccines, adding that combination with viral vector vaccines "has been shown to be very effective and long-lasting."

October 30, 2021 - The U.K. confirmed donating 20 million more Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines to needy countries.

October 25, 2021 - The Pharma Letter published 'AstraZeneca: staying the course amid the pandemic tempest.'

October 14, 2021 - AstraZeneca confirmed it remains committed to fulfilling our contractual agreements to supply 53.8 million doses of Vaxzevria, with the majority manufactured locally at CSL facilities in Melbourne. In line with this agreement, the CSL-made vaccines will continue into 2022.

October 11, 2021 - To qualify under the fully vaccinated rules for travel to England, you must have been fully vaccinated with an entire course of an approved vaccine, such as Vaxzevria.

September 29, 2021 - The NEJM published the results from a phase 3 study. CONCLUSIONS - AZD1222 was safe and efficacious in preventing symptomatic and severe COVID-19 across diverse populations, including older adults.

September 23, 2021 - Italian authorities have announced that all versions of the AstraZeneca vaccine are equivalent to the other vaccines already approved for use by the country's authorities.

September 21, 2021 - A non-peer-reviewed study - Vaccine effectiveness of Vaxzevria against mild and severe COVID-19 in the U.K. Conclusions We observed limited waning in vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization and death more than 20 weeks post-vaccination with Vaxzevria. Waning was greater in older adults and those in a clinical risk group, suggesting that these individuals should be prioritized for booster doses.

September 2, 2021 - The WHO published an updated safety review of the Vaxzevria vaccine. This article summarizes the interim recommendations; you may access the guidance document here

August 25, 2021 - A non-peer-reviewed study found the Vaxzevria vaccine demonstrated overall effectiveness against severe COVID-19 up to 80 years of age. These results suggest that individuals aged 90 years or older may benefit from an expedited third booster dose. 

August 24, 2021 - The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration confirmed the Vaxzevria vaccine is authorized for people 18 years and older.

August 19, 2021 - The journal Nature published a study, 'AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines are effective against the highly infectious Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 — but their protection drops away over time.'

August 17, 2021 - The Lancet published a new study that concluded by saying, 'the statistical analysis in this small study does not account for potential confounding factors. However, the robust inhibition of variants, including the delta variant, further supports heterologous ChAdOx1-S/BNT162b2 vaccination. If confirmed in a large study, our data also support a heterologous boost vaccination of individuals with completed homologous ChAdOx1-S vaccination, once humoral immunity declines and patients become susceptible to infection.'

August 6, 2021 - The U.S. FDA announced that it had found certain lots of Astra Zeneca COVID-19 vaccine substance manufactured at the Emergent facility in Baltimore, Maryland, acceptable for use for potential export. The AstraZeneca vaccine is not authorized for use in the U.S., but the FDA understands that these AstraZeneca lots, or vaccines made from the lots, will now be exported for use.

July 28, 2021 - AstraZeneca announced rates of the sporadic clotting disorder, thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), following the second dose of Vaxzevria, comparable to the background rate in an unvaccinated population. In a large real-world study, data published as a preprint on The Lancet server from over one million individuals assessed the incidence rates of blood clotting disorders of thromboembolism and thrombocytopenia, including the very rare thrombosis with thrombocytopenia following vaccination with an mRNA vaccine or Vaxzevria. They compared them with expected rates in a general population and people with COVID-19. Safety profiles of Vaxzevria and the mRNA-based vaccine were similar and overall favorable. Sporadic clotting disorders were observed with both vaccines, but these were in line with what would be expected in the general population and lower than those diagnosed with COVID-19. Follow-up time was insufficient to report rates after two doses of Vaxzevria, though other studies have shown rates of rare blood clotting events to be lower after a second dose.

July 28, 2021 - AstraZeneca announced, 'Rates of the sporadic clotting disorder, thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, following the second dose of Vaxzevria is comparable to the background rate in an unvaccinated population.'

July 27, 2021 - The Lancet published a global safety database analysis: Very rare thrombosis with thrombocytopenia after second AZD1222 dose.

July 22, 2021 - Total antibody levels appear to start declining from as early as six weeks after complete vaccination. According to new data from UCL's Virus Watch study, they can reduce by more than 50% over ten weeks.

July 16, 2021 - Real-world data from Canada suggested one dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine was protective against poor outcomes from the highly transmissible Delta variant.

July 15, 2021 - The Lancet published a new study: Spike-antibody waning after the second dose of the ChAdOx1 vaccine. A significant trend of declining S-antibody levels was seen with time for both ChAdOx1 (p<0·001), with levels reducing by about five-fold for ChAdOx1 between 21–41 days and 70 days or more after the second dose. This trend remained consistent when results were stratified by sex, age, and clinical vulnerability.

July 14, 2021 - The EMA published COVID-19 vaccine safety updates. They also indicate whether any safety information requires further investigation.

July 14, 2021 - The Government of Romania has decided to donate 100,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Vietnam.

July 7, 2021 - The NEJM published a study on three patients with vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine who improved with therapeutic plasma exchange. Argatroban treatment was monitored closely before, during, and after the exchanges, and only minimal aPTT variation was found, with no attributable bleeding. Patients 1 and 2 recovered despite their severe presentation. Patient 1 received rituximab after the fifth therapeutic plasma exchange. The platelet count for Patient 2 did not improve until IVIG (0.5 g per kilogram of body weight) was given after therapeutic plasma exchanges 4 through 7. Patient 3 underwent above-knee amputation, but therapeutic plasma exchange most likely prevented more extensive resection. No further thromboses occurred. We suggest therapeutic plasma exchange for thrombocytopenia and thrombosis that does not begin to decrease after five days, continuing until platelet normalization. Earlier intervention could be considered. The usefulness of additional treatment with IVIG, glucocorticoids, and rituximab requires further study.

July 7, 2021 -  Reuters reported Germany would donate its AstraZeneca vaccine inventory to less developed countries in August 2021.

June 28, 2021 - AstraZeneca announced a sub-analysis from the Oxford-led COV001 and COV002 trials published by the University of Oxford on the preprint server of The Lancet, demonstrating antibody levels remain elevated baseline for at least one year following a single dose.

June 18, 2021 - The Lancet published a new study: Safety and immunogenicity of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 in HIV infection: a single-arm substudy of a phase 2/3 clinical trial. Interpretation: In this study of people with HIV, ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 was safe and immunogenic, supporting vaccination for those well-controlled on ART.

June 15, 2021 - AstraZeneca reported new data from Public Health England (PHE) demonstrating COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca offers high levels of protection against the Delta variant (B.1.617.2; the 'Indian' variant). Real-world data from PHE, published as a preprint, demonstrated two doses of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca are 92% effective against hospitalization due to the Delta variant and showed no deaths among those vaccinated. The vaccine also showed high effectiveness against the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7; formerly the 'Kent' variant), with an 86% reduction in hospitalizations and no deaths reported. The data suggest that vaccine effectiveness against milder symptomatic disease, although significant, was lower. Vaccine effectiveness against the symptomatic disease was 74% against the Alpha variant and 64% against the Delta variant.

June 11, 2021 - The EMA issued an advisory against use in people with a history of capillary leak syndrome.

June 9, 2021 - A study led by University of Edinburgh researchers and published today in Nature Medicine assessed the risk of bleeding-related events among 2.53 million people up to 27 days after the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine from December 2020 to April 2021. Interpution - Public health authorities should inform their jurisdictions of these relatively small increased risks associated with ChAdOx1. No positive associations were seen between BNT162b2 and thrombocytopenic, thromboembolic, and hemorrhagic events.

June 2, 2021 - The NEJM published a Correspondence that concluded, saying, 'In South Africa, the rate of adverse events with vaccination is low, and thromboembolic events have occurred mainly in persons with risk factors for thromboembolism. To date, no case of vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia has been documented.

May 26, 2021 - The EMA updated its Safety Information page.

May 25, 2021 - According to the Central Epidemic Command Center, 302,698 Taiwanese have received at least their first dose since the rollout began on March 22, including 51,262 Taipei residents and 47,949 New Taipei residents. Only 687 adverse events have been reported among the 302,698 people who have received AstraZeneca vaccination, or around 0.23 percent.

May 21, 2021 - AstraZeneca announced Vaxzevria had been granted special approval for emergency use in Japan for active immunization of individuals aged 18 years and older to prevent COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2.

May 18, 2021 - The ECDC published a technical report that provides a summary of the evidence available at the time of the publication and what will be required in the future to support EU/EEA countries making decisions on the administration of the second dose, following the first dose of Vaxzevria. Since new evidence is continuously generated and safety monitored regularly, readers need to consider the latest information.

May 12, 2021 - The Lancet reported that mixing COVID-19 vaccines may produce more frequent mild to moderate reactions than standard vaccine dosing schedules, as the University of Oxford researchers confirmed.

May 10, 2021 - According to local media, Thierry Bretón confirmed the European Union has opted not to renew an order for AstraZeneca to supply its coronavirus vaccine after June 2021.

May 7, 2021 - The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised the U.K. government on using the COVID-19 Oxford - AstraZeneca vaccine for people under 40. The JCVI has advised a preference for adults aged 30 to 39 without underlying health conditions to receive an alternative to the Oxford - AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, where available, and only if this does not cause substantial delays in vaccination.

May 6, 2021 - The Australian Health Agency reported five additional reports of blood clots and low blood platelets assessed as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, likely to be linked to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

May 6, 2021 - Reuters reported Germany will allow AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine to be administered to adults of all ages and aims to offer 12-18-year-olds a vaccine by the end of August 2021.

May 5, 2021 - BMJ reported: Arterial events, venous thromboembolism, thrombocytopenia, and bleeding after vaccination with Oxford-AstraZeneca ChAdOx1-S in Denmark and Norway: population-based cohort study. Conclusions Among recipients of ChAdOx1-S, increased rates of venous thromboembolic events, including cerebral venous thrombosis, were observed. 

April 30, 2021 - AstraZeneca reported 18.4 million doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine and 29.9 million of SII's Covidshield vaccine had been sold.

April 27, 2021 - The Lancet published a new study: Vaccine side-effects and SARS-CoV-2 infection after vaccination in the COVID Symptom Study app users in the U.K.: a prospective observational study. Results Interpretation - Systemic and local side-effects after ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccination occur at frequencies lower than reported in phase 3 trials. And decrease the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection after 12 days.

April 26, 2021 - The U.S. government announced it would supply 60 million vaccine doses to other countries, reported the A.P.

April 23, 2021 - A non-peer-reviewed study published by the Nuffield Department of Medicine found that 'Vaccination with a single dose of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine significantly reduced new SARS-CoV-2 infections in this large community surveillance study in the U.K.

April 23, 2021 - The EMA stated, 'Vaxzevria (formerly COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca) benefits outweigh its risks in adults of all age groups; however, sporadic cases of blood clots with low blood platelets1 have occurred following vaccination.

April 19, 2021 - Researchers at the University of Oxford have launched a human challenge trial to determine what kind of immune response can stop people from re-infected. They also want to see how the immune system reacts the second time.

April 16, 2021 - The WHO published 'Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety review of the latest evidence of rare adverse blood coagulation events with AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine (Vaxzevria and Covishield).'

April 15, 2021 - Researchers at the University of Oxford in England reported the risk of the rare blood clotting known as cerebral venous thrombosis following COVID-19 infection is around 100 times greater than usual. And several times higher than it is post-vaccination or following influenza.

April 14, 2021 - Health Canada announced, 'Based on the review of available data from Europe and the United Kingdom and AstraZeneca, no specific risk factors have been identified. Therefore, Health Canada does not restrict vaccine use to specific populations.

April 13, 2021 - A limited, preprint study in the U.K. seniors (80+) found a single dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 or Pfizer vaccines produced equivalent antibody responses five weeks after vaccination. The study, led by University of Birmingham researchers, found that antibodies specific to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein were present in most people in both groups—93% after the Pfizer vaccine and 87% after the AstraZeneca vaccine.

April 9, 2021 - The NEJM published an Original Article: Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia after ChAdOx1 nCov-19 Vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: Vaccination with ChAdOx1 nCov-19 can result in the rare development of immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia mediated by platelet-activating antibodies against PF4, which clinically mimics autoimmune heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.

April 9, 2021 - France's Haute Autorite de Sante recommended on April 9, 2021, that the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine be reserved for people over 55.

April 9, 2021 - The European Medicines Agency's safety committee has concluded that unusual blood clots with low blood platelets should be listed as infrequent side effects of Vaxzevria (previously COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca).

April 7, 2021 - The European Medicines Agency (EMA) found a possible link to rare cases of unusual blood clots with low blood platelets. People who have received the vaccine should seek medical assistance immediately if they develop symptoms of this combination of blood clots and low blood platelets. 

April 7, 2021 - Reuters reported the European Commission confirmed that AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine's delivery shortfalls were a global issue, not something to be addressed only in talks between the E.U. and Australia.

April 6, 2021 - The WSJ reported the University of Oxford said it has paused administering doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. It developed with AstraZeneca PLC in a small U.K. study to test the shot in children and teenagers, pending further information about rare blood-clotting issues in adults who have received it.

April 3, 2021 - Seven people in the United Kingdom have died from unusual blood clots after getting the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, the U.K. medicines regulator has confirmed to the BBC.

March 31, 2021 - The EMA's safety committee met on Wednesday, March 31st, in the context of its ongoing review of sporadic cases of unusual blood clots associated with low numbers of platelets in people vaccinated with AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine (now called Vaxzevria). 

March 30, 2021 - The Lancet published the results of a phase 2/3 study: Efficacy of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus variant of concern 202012/01 (B.1.1.7): an exploratory analysis of a randomized controlled trial. Interpretation - ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 showed reduced neutralization activity against the B.1.1.7 variant compared with a non-B.1.1.7 variant in vitro, but the vaccine showed efficacy against the B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2.

March 29, 2021 - Prince Edward Island (PEI) Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison announced that PEI would pause the administration of the AstraZeneca vaccine for those under 55 years of age.

March 26, 2021 - The EMA posted Vaxzevria as the new name for COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca in Europe.

March 26, 2021 - The EMA announced a new manufacturing site had been approved to produce AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine active substance. The Halix site is located in Leiden, the Netherlands, and will bring the total number of manufacturing sites licensed to produce the active substance of the vaccine to four.

March 25, 2021 - AstraZeneca announced, 'Positive high-level results from the primary analysis of the Phase III trial of AZD1222 in the U.S. have confirmed vaccine efficacy consistent with the pre-specified interim analysis announced on Monday 22 March 2021. The primary endpoint, vaccine efficacy at preventing symptomatic COVID-19, was 76% (confidence interval (CI): 68% to 82%), occurring 15 days or more after receiving two doses given four weeks apart. Also, results were comparable across age groups, with vaccine efficacy of 85% (CI: 58% to 95%) in adults 65 and older. A key secondary endpoint, preventing severe or critical disease and hospitalization, demonstrated 100% efficacy. Eight cases of severe COVID-19 were observed in the primary analysis, with all those cases in the placebo group.

March 22, 2021 - AstraZeneca announced the interim safety and efficacy analysis of its U.S. Phase III trial of the AZD1222 vaccine. It demonstrated a statistically significant vaccine efficacy of 79% in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 and 100% in preventing severe disease and hospitalization. Vaccine efficacy was consistent across ethnicity and age. Notably, in participants aged 65 years and over, vaccine efficacy was 80%. The vaccine was well-tolerated, and the independent data safety monitoring board identified no safety concerns related to the vaccine.

March 18, 2021 - Thrombosis Canada announced it had reviewed recent reports from the United Kingdom and Europe relating to the SARS-CoV-2 prevention vaccine made by AstraZeneca and developing a scarce type of thrombosis associated with thrombocytopenia. Thrombosis Canada believes that, based on evidence, people who receive the AstraZeneca vaccine are not at increased risk of developing blood clots compared with the general population.

March 18, 2021 - The European Medicines Agency (EMA) announced: COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca: benefits still outweigh the risks despite possible link to rare blood clots with low blood platelets.

March 16, 2021 - The Africa CDC called for a special session of the African Taskforce for Coronavirus (AFTCOR), which includes experts from across Africa and the world, to review the AstraZeneca situation. From the evidence available and discussed during the AFTCOR special session, Africa CDC concluded that the benefits of AstraZeneca COVID-19 continue to outweigh its risks. 

March 16, 2021 - EMA's safety committee (PRAC) announced in a digital statement 'it made further progress today, Tuesday 16 March, in its detailed evaluation of cases of blood clots, some with unusual features such as low numbers of platelets, in recipients of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca. As previously stated, while its investigation is ongoing, EMA believes that the AstraZeneca vaccine's benefits in preventing COVID-19, with its associated risk of hospitalization and death, outweigh the risks of side effects.'

March 15, 2021 - The EMA issued a statement: Several authorities responsible for national vaccine campaigns in E.U. countries have temporarily paused vaccination with COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca. As a result, events involving blood clots, some with unusual features such as low numbers of platelets, have occurred in a few people who received the vaccine.

March 14, 2021 - The Company issued a press statement which stated: 'A careful review of all available safety data of more than 17 million people vaccinated in the European Union (E.U.) and the U.K. with COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca has shown no evidence of an increased risk of pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or thrombocytopenia, in any defined age group, gender, batch or in any particular country. So far, across the E.U. and U.K., 15 DVT and 22 pulmonary embolism events have been reported among those given the vaccine, based on the number of cases the Company has received as of 8 March. This is much lower than expected to occur naturally in a general population of this size and is similar across other licensed COVID-19 vaccines. The monthly safety report will be made public on the European Medicines Agency website the following week, in line with exceptional transparency measures for COVID-19.'

March 12, 2021 - The International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis recommends that all eligible adults continue to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations, despite the recent decisions by Austria, Denmark, Norway, and Iceland to at least temporarily suspend the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine due to reports of thrombosis. 'At this time, the small number of reported thrombotic events relative to the millions of administered COVID-19 vaccinations does not suggest a direct link.'

March 12, 2021 - The European Medicines Agency reviewed all cases of thromboembolic events and other conditions related to blood clots and reported post-vaccination with the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca.

March 11, 2021 - The U.K.'s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency stated in a website statement regarding actions to temporarily suspend the AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine: 'This is a precautionary measure by the Danish, Norwegian, and Icelandic authorities. It has not been confirmed that the AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine caused the report of a blood clot. However, people should still go and get their COVID-19 vaccine when asked to do so.'

March 11, 2021 - Various media sources reported that countries in Austria, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Estonia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Italy, and Latvia had suspended vaccination programs.

March 10, 2021 - The EMA reported Austrian's national competent authority had suspended using a batch of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca (batch number ABV5300) after a person was diagnosed with multiple thrombosis (formation of blood clots within blood vessels) and died ten days after vaccination. Another was hospitalized with pulmonary embolism (blockage in arteries in the lungs) after being vaccinated. The latter is now recovering.

March 6, 2021 - The Lancet published a commentary: Single-dose Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine followed by a 12-week booster. Overall, the value of this study is in providing evidence that a single dose of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine is highly efficacious in the 90 days after vaccination, that a longer prime-boost interval results in higher vaccine efficacy, and that protection against symptomatic COVID-19 is maintained despite a longer dosing interval. In addition, it offers much-needed evidence for the U.K. policy of extending the dosing interval to 12 weeks and rapid mass immunization campaigns worldwide.

March 4, 2021 - Germany's independent vaccine committee has formally approved the AstraZeneca vaccine for people age 65 and over, the health minister Jens Spahn told local media.

March 2, 2021 - The Company announced the first of many millions of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine doses have begun arriving in low and middle-income countries worldwide through the multilateral COVAX initiative.

March 2, 2021 - The BBC reported French Health Minister Olivier Véran said people with pre-existing conditions - such as high blood pressure or diabetes - could get the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine from G.P. surgeries, hospitals, and "within days" from pharmacies. Those aged over 75 would be offered either Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

March 1, 2021 - Canada's National Advisory Committee on Immunization announced new guidelines advising against vaccinating people 65 and older with AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine.

February 26, 2021 - The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, announced that Canada had secured 2 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine through Verity Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc./Serum Institute of India. In addition, AstraZeneca has licensed the manufacture of its ChAdOx1 vaccine to the Serum Institute.

February 19, 2021 - The Lancet published a study that concluded: The results of this primary analysis of two doses of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 were consistent with those seen in the trials' interim analysis, confirming that the vaccine is efficacious, with results varying by dose interval in exploratory analyses. A 3-month dose interval might have advantages over a program with a short dose interval for the rollout of a pandemic vaccine to protect the most significant number of individuals in the population as early as possible when supplies are scarce while improving protection after receiving a second dose.

February 18, 2021 - The European Medicines Agency(EMA) published its overview of the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca, approved in the E.U. The EMU also published its Product Information sheet.

February 18, 2021 - After reviewing all available data, the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts concluded that ongoing research suggests that the Astra Zeneca vaccine will likely protect people against severe COVID-19. However, this remains to be demonstrated in clinical trials and post-implementation evaluation.

February 16, 2021 - The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has provisionally approved Australia's Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. This registration means the AstraZeneca vaccine has met the TGA's rigorous safety, quality, and efficacy standards and will be provided free to all Australian residents. It has been provisionally approved in Australia for people 18 years and older. Australia's priority groups can start receiving this vaccine in early March 2021.

February 15, 2021 - The World Health Organization (WHO) listed two versions of the AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, giving the green light for these vaccines to be rolled out globally through COVAX. The vaccines are produced by AstraZeneca-SKBio (Republic of Korea) and the Serum Institute of India (CoviShield).

February 12, 2021 - The University of Oxford and three partner sites in London, Southampton, and Bristol announced they launched the first study to assess the safety and immune responses of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 coronavirus vaccine in children and young adults. 

February 11, 2021 - AstraZeneca PLC published financial results, including insights into AstraZeneca COVID-19 (AZD1222) (C19VAZ) coronavirus. Pascal Soriot, Chief Executive Officer, commented: "Despite the significant impact of the pandemic, we delivered double-digit revenue growth to leverage improved profitability and cash generation. The consistent achievements in the pipeline, the accelerating performance of our business, and the progress of the COVID-19 vaccine demonstrated what we could achieve." The Company's guidance does not incorporate any revenue or profit impact from COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca (C19VAZ) sales.

February 10, 2021 - NPR reported the World Health Organization stated governments should continue rolling out the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, including in countries battling a new strain of the coronavirus first detected in South Africa. The WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization had issued interim recommendations for using the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine (AZD1222) in adults aged 18 years and above. "Indirect evidence is compatible with protection against severe COVID-19," the WHO said in interim recommendations.

February 10, 2021 - AstraZeneca and IDT Biologika announced they are exploring options to accelerate COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca's production in the second quarter of 2021 to support Europe's immediate vaccination needs during the pandemic. Jürgen Betzing, CEO of IDT Biologika, said in a press statement, "We are proud that AstraZeneca has chosen us as a strategic partner for manufacturing their vaccines."

February 8, 2021 - Serum Institute of India (SII) announced a U.K. delegation led by Secretary of State for International Trade Liz Truss visited the SSI. Reuters reported that India's government ordered 10 million additional doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from the SSI following that meeting.

February 8, 2021 - Reuters reported that Portugal's health ministry announced that the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine should preferably be used with seniors aged 65.

February 6, 2021 - AstraZeneca believed its COVID-19 vaccine could protect people against severe disease caused by the South African variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. However, according to a study, AstraZeneca confirmed that the COVID-19 vaccine does not appear to offer protection against mild and moderate disease caused by the viral variant first identified in South Africa.

February 4, 2021 - The University of Oxford leads the first trial to explore alternating different COVID-19 vaccines, explore the potential for flexibility in delivery, and look for clues about increasing the breadth of protection against new virus strains.

February 3, 2021 - The natural evolution of SARS-CoV-2: How science responds to these challenges, published by AstraZeneca.

February 2, 2021 - The Oxford coronavirus vaccine shows sustained protection of 76% during the 3-month interval until the second dose.

February 2, 2021 - China-based Shenzhen Kangtai Biological Products Co. Ltd. announced that it had built a production workshop for the adenovirus vector vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford. With a floor area of 2,200 square meters, the facility has an annual production capacity of 400 million doses.

February 2, 2021 - Swissmedic announced it is currently reviewing two applications for the authorization of COVID-19 vaccines. Concerning the AstraZeneca vaccine, the data submitted and analyzed so far are insufficient to permit authorization. Additional data from recent studies are needed to obtain more information about safety, efficacy, and quality.

February 1, 2021 - The Lancet preprint study: Single Dose Administration And The Influence Of The Timing Of The Booster Dose On Immunogenicity and Efficacy Of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) Vaccine. Interpretation: ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccination programs aimed at vaccinating a large proportion of the population with a single dose, with a second dose given after three months, is an effective strategy for reducing disease and could be optimal for the rollout of a pandemic vaccine when supplies are limited in the short term.

January 31, 2021 - A.P. News reported that UK-based AstraZeneca has agreed to supply 9 million additional doses of its experimental COVID-19 vaccine to the European Union during the first quarter of 2021. The new delivery target of 40 million doses is below previous commitments.

January 30, 2021 - Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said that the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford has been approved for use in Vietnam's urgent situation. This is the first COVID-19 vaccine approved by Vietnam so far. Astra Zeneca pledged to supply 30 million vaccine doses for Viet Nam this year, said Long.

January 30, 2021 - Media reported Germany would review the order of its coronavirus vaccine priority list following a recommendation from its vaccine authority not to give the AstraZeneca vaccine to individuals 65 and older. "We will now have to review the order of vaccination [because] of the age limitations of the AstraZeneca vaccine," said health minister Jens Spahn.

January 29, 2021 - The European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended granting conditional marketing authorization for COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca to prevent COVID-19 in people from 18 years of age. Combined results from 4 clinical trials in the United Kingdom, Brazil, and South Africa showed that the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca was safe and effective at preventing COVID-19 in people from 18 years of age.

January 28, 2021 - UPI reported Germany's Robert Koch Institute stated, 'there are not enough data to determine how effective the vaccine is for the elderly, and it should be given only to people under age 65.'

January 27, 2021 - Reuters reported the Chilean Public Health Institute (ISP) approved the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use by a unanimous vote of its advisory board. The approval is for use for Chileans over 18 and without an upper age limit.

January 27, 2021 - The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices conducted a digital meeting to review the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine candidate. 

January 24, 2021 - Xinhua reported Ecuador's National Agency for Health Regulation, Control, and Surveillance had approved the emergency use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19. Ecuador's government said it has access to 18 million doses used to vaccinate 9 million Ecuadoreans over 18 years old for free in 2021.

January 19, 2021 - Human trials of a coronavirus vaccine combining the Sputnik V Vaccine with the AstraZeneca and Oxford University co-developed vaccine are expected to start in early February, the chairman of r R-Pharm told Reuters.

January 6, 2021 - AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine has been granted emergency use authorization in India and Argentina, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, and Morocco for adults' active immunization.

December 30, 2020 - AstraZeneca announced that the U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency had authorized an emergency supply of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca, formerly AZD1222, for the active immunization of individuals 18 or older.

December 21, 2020 - Russian Direct Investment Fund, N.N. N.F. Gamaleas, AstraZeneca, and R-Pharm agreed on developing and implementing a clinical research program to assess the immunogenicity and safety of the combined use of one of the components of the Sputnik V vaccine Center. 

December 8, 2020 - Study published by The Lancet: Safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine (AZD1222) against SARS-CoV-2: an interim analysis of four randomized controlled trials in Brazil, South Africa, and the U.K.' Interim results of the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine trials find that the vaccine protects against symptomatic disease in 70% of cases - with vaccine efficacy of 62% for those given two full doses, and of 90% in those given a half than a full dose (both trial arms pre-specified in the pooled analysis).

November 18, 2020 - A study published by The Lancet found that ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 appears to be well tolerated in older adults and has similar immunogenicity across all age groups after a booster dose.

August 14, 2020 - AstraZeneca announced an agreement with the European Commission to supply up to 400 million doses of the AZD1222 COVID-19 vaccine. This new agreement will allow all E.U. member states to access the vaccine equitably at no profit during the pandemic. It also allows E.U. member states to redirect doses to other European countries.

August 6, 2020 - Shenzhen Kangtai Biological Products announced AstraZeneca Plc's potential COVID-19 vaccine AZD1222 in mainland China. The Shenzhen-based Company must have the capacity to make at least 200 million vaccine doses by the end of 2021 as part of the exclusive framework agreement.

August 1, 2020 - The Drugs Controller General of India has approved the Serum Institute of India, Pune, to conduct Phase II+III clinical trials of the Oxford University-Astra Zeneca COVID-19 vaccine (COVISHIELD).

July 20, 2020The Lancet confirmed in a preliminary report of the COV001/2 phase 1/2 study that a single dose of AZD1222 resulted in a 4-fold increase in antibodies SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein in 95% of participants one month after injection. A T-cell response was induced in all participants, peaking by day 14, and maintained two months after vaccination.

July 17, 2020 - Moscow unveiled an agreement with AstraZeneca to produce a coronavirus vaccine developed by the firm and Oxford University.

June 13, 2020 - AstraZeneca has reached an agreement with Europe's Inclusive Vaccines Alliance, spearheaded by Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands, to supply up to 400 million doses of the University of Oxford's COVID-19 vaccine, with deliveries starting by the end of 2020. AZ's total manufacturing capacity currently stands at 2 billion doses.

June 9, 2020 - Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, invested USD100 million in a potential COVID-19 vaccine developed at Oxford University. The Pune-based Company has partnered with AstraZeneca, a British biopharma giant, to ensure an equitable supply of the AZD1222 vaccine doses to India and low- and middle-income countries.

May 21, 2020 - AstraZeneca has received more than $1 billion from the U.S. Health Department's Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority developed a coronavirus vaccine from the University of Oxford called AZD1222. AstraZeneca has initially agreed to supply at least 400 million vaccine doses and secured total manufacturing capacity to produce 1 billion doses, with first deliveries in September.

April 30, 2020 - AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford announced an agreement to develop and distribute the recombinant adenovirus vaccine to prevent COVID-19 from SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infections.

April 23, 2020 - University of Oxford researchers began testing a COVID-19 vaccine in human volunteers in Oxford today. Around 1,110 people will participate in the trial, half receiving the vaccine and the control group receiving a widely available meningitis vaccine. 

Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca) COVID-19 Vaccine Clinical Trials

AZD1222 is undergoing late-stage clinical trials in Japan, Russia, South Africa, Kenya, and Latin America, as well as other European and Asian countries. Clinical trials appendix Q3 2021 results update. Visit AstraZeneca for more sponsored trials.

Clinical Trials

No clinical trials found