Displaying items by tag: vaxzevria

AstraZeneca has announced the global withdrawal of its Covid-19 vaccine, Vaxzevria, citing a surplus of newer vaccines targeting emerging virus variants. The company previously halted its marketing authorization in the European Union in March, with the European Medicines Agency confirming on May 7 that the vaccine is no longer authorised. This decision reflects the reduced demand for Vaxzevria, which is no longer being manufactured or supplied. AstraZeneca stated that the variety of new vaccines available has led to this decline in use. Despite the withdrawal, the company highlighted that Vaxzevria played a crucial role in the pandemic's early stages, saving an estimated 6.5 million lives and delivering over 3 billion doses globally. Other countries, including Australia, have ceased its use, transitioning to newer vaccines since June 2021. Vaxzevria, which was administered in two doses and occasionally as a booster, is based on an adenovirus vector carrying a gene from SARS-CoV-2. While effective overall, it was linked to a rare but severe side effect, thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), affecting about two to three per 100,000 vaccinated individuals.