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How Does AstraZeneca's COVID-19 Vaccine Data Compare to Others'?

AstraZeneca plc AZN is the third drugmaker to report late-stage data on its potential COVID-19 vaccine, which showed that the candidate is roughly 70% effective in preventing COVID-19 infection

The Swiss drugmaker announced interim data from late-stage studies in the UK and Brazil on its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, AZD1222. The data showed that the vaccine, which it is developing in partnership with Oxford University, met the primary efficacy endpoint in preventing COVID-19.

One dosing regimen (n=2,741) given as a half dose, followed by a full dose at least one month apart demonstrated efficacy of 90%. Another regimen (n=8,895) given as two full doses at least one month apart showed an efficacy of 62%, bringing the average efficacy rate at 70%. Per FDA’s guidelines, a vaccine will be considered effective if it is at least 50% effective. Additional safety and efficacy data continue to be assessed and the companies will release final data in some time.

At interim analysis, 131 participants in the study were infected with COVID-19. However, no hospitalizations or severe cases of COVID-19 were reported in participants who were given AZD1222. No serious safety events were reported and the vaccine was well tolerated across both dosing regimens.

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AstraZeneca said that protection from COVID-19 occurred 14 days or more after receiving two vaccine shots. AstraZeneca will now file regulatory applications to global authorities to seek early approval of AZD1222 based on the interim data. It will seek an Emergency Use Listing from the World Health Organization to make the vaccine available in low-income countries.

Over 23,000 patients were evaluated in the U.K. and Brazilian studies. Studies are ongoing in the United States, Japan, Russia, South Africa, Kenya and Latin America with the company expecting to enroll up to 60,000 participants globally.

In September, AstraZeneca temporarily paused all its global late-stage studies on AZD1222, as a patient in U.K. suffered an unspecified illness. While studies in UK, Brazil, South Africa and Japan resumed in the weeks thereafter following regulators’ confirmation, the study in the United States remained on hold for some time and resumed in late October. In the EU, a rolling review of data for AZD1222 has begun.

Shares of AstraZeneca were down 1% on Nov 23, probably as its efficacy rate fell short of that of Pfizer and Moderna. This year so far, the company’s shares have risen 9.7% against a decrease of 0.2% for the industry.

 

 

While Pfizer PFE/BioNTech’s BNTX mRNA-based coronavirus vaccine candidate, BNT162b2 was 95% effective in preventing COVID-19 in final analysis, Moderna’s MRNA mRNA-1273, which uses the same mRNA-based technology as Pfizer/BioNTech, demonstrated a vaccine efficacy of 94.5% at interim analysis. While Pfizer submitted a request to the FDA to grant emergency use authorization (EUA) last week, Moderna will do so in the coming weeks. J&J’s JNJ COVID-19 vaccine is also in late-stage development and the company should also release data soon.

Please note that AstraZeneca’s vaccine is not a mRNA-based treatment like Pfizer and Moderna’s. It uses a weakened version of a common cold virus (adenovirus) that causes infections in chimpanzees and contains the genetic material of the SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein

AstraZeneca’s vaccine can be transported and stored at normal refrigerator temperatures (2°-8°C) for at least six months. However, Moderna’s vaccine can remain stable at standard refrigerator temperature (2°-8°C) for 30 days while Pfizer’s vaccine needs to be stored at extremely low temperatures (-70°C±10°C) for up to 15 days. Once thawed, Pfizer’s vaccine can stay in standard refrigerator temperature (2°-8°C) for up to 5 days.

It looks like AZD1222’s normal storage needs may give the company an advantage from logistics point of view as it makes it much easier to distribute globally using the normal immunization distribution system. Meanwhile, AstraZeneca has signed advanced agreements with governments of several countries including the United States, United Kingdom and other organizations to supply doses of the vaccine, if approved. The agreements will require it to produce almost three billion doses of the vaccine between now and the end of 2021.

Reportedly, AstraZeneca’s vaccine is cheaper than others being priced at less than $3 a dose.

Nonetheless, all three vaccines look effective and may be approved by regulatory authorities as multiple vaccines will be needed to inoculate the world’s population and bring an end to the pandemic

AstraZeneca currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
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