AstraZeneca Withdraws COVID-19 Vaccine, Vaxzevria, Due to Decreasing Demand

AstraZeneca has made the decision to withdraw its successful coronavirus vaccine, Vaxzevria, due to a decrease in demand as new vaccines have become available. The vaccine, developed in partnership with the University of Oxford, has been widely used worldwide with over 3 billion doses administered since January 4, 2021. Despite its success, the vaccine has not generated revenue for AstraZeneca since April 2023.

According to a statement shared with CNN, the decline in demand for Vaxzevria led AstraZeneca to initiate the withdrawal of its marketing authorizations within Europe. The European Medicines Agency also announced the withdrawal of the vaccine’s authorization, meaning it is no longer authorized to be marketed or sold in EU countries. AstraZeneca will work with regulators in other countries to align on the next steps, including withdrawing marketing authorizations where there is no future commercial demand expected.

The company expressed pride in the role Vaxzevria played in combating the global pandemic, mentioning that their efforts have been recognized by governments worldwide as a critical component in ending the pandemic. This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.