Do not ask about dosage method
UK health authorities are reviewing approval for emergency use
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| ▲ Pascal Sorio, CEO of AstraZeneca (Photo = Yonhap News, Reuters) |
[아시아타임즈=이지영 기자]
The CEO of AstraZeneca, a multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in London, UK, showed confidence in the success of the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19) vaccine developed together with Oxford University.
27th (local time) Pascal Sorio AstraZeneca, CEO of AstraZeneca, told The Times’ Sunday Times, “I think, like other competitors, we have found a formula for success that can benefit from two doses of the vaccine.”
CEO Sorio dismissed, “We can prevent 100% of the corona 19 infection, which is serious enough to have to be hospitalized,” but dismissed “I can’t say in detail because it will release a vaccine at some point.”
According to the results of an interim analysis of the phase 3 clinical trial for the COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, the prevention rate when administered two full doses of the vaccine was only 62.1%. The first half-dose and the second full-dose increased the prevention rate to 90.0%.
The average prevention rate is 70.4%, which is less effective than vaccines from Pfizer and German Bioentech (95%) and vaccines developed by US pharmaceutical company Modena (94.5%).
AstraZeneca and Oxford Masters When these interim clinical results were announced, criticism was raised for differences in efficacy depending on the dosage. At the time, AstraZeneca’s share price fell 3.8%.
CEO Sorio said, “I was surprised when I first discovered this,” and “I knew for sure that people might be a little disappointed,” he said.
He added, “Of course, I wish the result was simpler, but because it met the standards set by regulatory authorities around the world, I evaluated it positively overall,” he added. “I didn’t expect a storm to strike.”
CEO Sorio said that AstraZeneca and Oxford University are working on a new version of the vaccine to prepare for the variant Corona 19 virus.
On the 21st, AstraZeneca and Oxford University applied for emergency use of the Corona 19 vaccine made by both companies to the UK Medicines and Health Care Products Regulatory Authority (MHRA).
The British Daily Telegraph reported that the AstraZeneca vaccine will be approved by the UK Medicines and Health Care Products Regulatory Authority (MHRA) as early as the 27th, and that the vaccine will be distributed from January 4th next year.
Meanwhile, the Korean government pre-purchased 20 million doses (for 10 million people) of AstraZeneca vaccine and is expected to introduce it in February-March next year.