AstraZeneca withdraws COVID-19 vaccine citing a decline in demand

AstraZeneca has initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a "surplus of available updated vaccines" since the pandemic.

"As multiple, variant COVID-19 vaccines have since been developed, there is a surplus of available updated vaccines," the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical company said.

The surplus had led to a decline in demand for its vaccine, known as Vaxzevria since 2021, which is no longer being manufactured or supplied, the company said.

The company said it would also proceed to withdraw the vaccine's marketing authorisations within Europe.

The AstraZeneca vaccine has not been available in Australia since March 21, 2023.

It was linked to a rare but serious side effect, thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TSS), according to the Department of Health and Aged Care.

In TSS, a person develops blood clots (thrombosis), which can appear in different parts of the body, combined with a low blood platelet count.

Other COVID-19 vaccines are not associated with TSS.

After AstraZeneca-linked TSS cases were reported in March 2021, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation updated its advice to recommend a different vaccine for people under 50 due to their slightly higher risk of developing the condition.

From June 2021, an alternative to the AstraZeneca vaccine was recommended to people under 60.

The Department of Health estimated the rate of TSS from Vaxzevria to be about two in every 100,000 in people over 60, and about two to three in 100,000 in people under 60.

Cases were reported in all ages, some mild and others fatal.

AstraZeneca admitted that the vaccine caused side-effects such as blood clotting in court documents relating to a UK class action, The Telegraph reported.

The application to withdraw the vaccine was made on March 5 and came into effect on May 7, the newspaper wrote.

AstraZeneca began moving into respiratory syncytial virus vaccines and obesity drugs through several deals last year after a slowdown in growth as COVID-19 medicine sales declined.

The latest advice by the Department of Health recommends one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as a primary course for most Australians, or two doses for those at risk of severe illness.

A COVID-19 booster dose is recommended for people aged 65 years and over every 12 months.

Reuters/ABC