AstraZeneca: COVID-19 vaccines will reach 3 billion in 2021

AstraZeneca: COVID-19 vaccines will reach 3 billion in 2021. On November 23, AstraZeneca announced that its COVID-19 vaccine AZD1222 in cooperation with Oxford University is effective against the COVID-19 virus, with an average effectiveness of 70%.

A Securities Times reporter learned from AstraZeneca on November 23 that the company’s interim analysis of AZD1222 clinical trials in the United Kingdom and Brazil yielded positive high-level results, indicating that the vaccine is very effective in preventing the primary endpoint of COVID-19. Among all subjects who received the vaccine, there were no reports of hospitalization or severe cases. There were a total of 131 COVID-19 cases in the interim analysis.

At present, AstraZeneca is promoting the production of vaccines at full speed. After regulatory approval, it is expected to roll out 3 billion doses of vaccine in 2021. Under normal cold storage conditions (2-8 degrees Celsius / 36-46 degrees Fahrenheit), the vaccine can be stored, transported and processed within six months and used under existing medical conditions.

According to the results of the interim analysis of clinical trials, the two different dosing regimens have shown efficacy. One of the dosage regimens (n=2,741) showed that when AZD1222 was given at half the dose, and then given at least one month apart, the vaccine efficacy reached 90%; the other regimen (n=8,895) showed , When given in two full doses, at least one month apart, the efficacy is 62%. According to a comprehensive analysis of the two dosing regimens (n=11,636), the average curative effect is 70%.

An independent data security monitoring committee determined that this analysis met its primary endpoint, showing COVID-19 protection 14 days or more after receiving two doses of the vaccine. No serious safety incidents related to vaccines have yet been confirmed. AZD1222 showed good tolerance in both dosage regimens.

AstraZeneca will immediately prepare to submit data to regulatory authorities that have established conditional or early approval frameworks worldwide. The Securities Times reporter was informed that AstraZeneca will seek to be included in the emergency application list from the World Health Organization to speed up the supply of vaccines in low-income countries. At the same time, AstraZeneca is submitting a comprehensive analysis of the interim results for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

Andrew Pollard, lead researcher of the Oxford University vaccine trial, said: “These results show that we have an effective vaccine that can save many lives. What’s exciting is that we found that one of the dosage regimens is around 90% effective. With this dosage regimen, our previously planned vaccine production will be able to supply more people.”

AstraZeneca’s global chief executive Suboco said: “The effectiveness and safety of the vaccine have confirmed that it will be very effective against COVID-19 and will have a rapid impact on this public health emergency. In addition, the The flat supply chain of vaccines and our non-profit-making goal to achieve a broad, fair and timely vaccine supply promise means that it will be affordable and available globally, with hundreds of millions of doses after approval Vaccine.”

The meta-analysis included data from the COV002 Phase II/III trial conducted in the UK and the COV003 Phase III trial conducted in Brazil. More than 23,000 subjects received two doses of AZD1222 vaccine in half/full dose, or two full doses of vaccine, or meningococcal conjugate vaccine MenACWY as a control, or normal saline . Global clinical trials are evaluating subjects who are 18 years of age and older, multi-ethnic, multi-regional, or have stable underlying disease conditions.

Clinical trials are currently being conducted in the United States, Japan, Russia, South Africa, Kenya, and Latin America, and are planned to be launched in other European and Asian countries. AstraZeneca is expected to recruit a total of 60,000 participants worldwide.

AstraZeneca continues to cooperate with governments, multilateral organizations and partners around the world to ensure that vaccines are widely and equitably provided during the COVID-19 epidemic in a non-profit manner. Among them, in China, AstraZeneca’s partner Kangtai Biology has been actively preparing for the vaccine’s launch in China. At the 3rd CIIE, Kangtai Bio announced that the equipment procurement and construction of its Guangming production workshop for the production of the vaccine is proceeding in an orderly manner and will be completed by the end of the year. AstraZeneca stated that it is unanimously expected that this vaccine will be approved for marketing in China next year.