AstraZeneca, a UK-based pharmaceutical company, has withdrawn its COVID-19 vaccine, Vaxzevria, citing decreased demand. The decision comes as new vaccines targeting specific COVID-19 variants have emerged, leading to a surplus of updated vaccines in the market.
In a statement, an AstraZeneca representative explained that the decline in demand for Vaxzevria, which was developed in collaboration with the University of Oxford, is due to the availability of multiple variant-specific COVID-19 vaccines. As a result, AstraZeneca has ceased manufacturing and supplying Vaxzevria.
The company has stated that it will collaborate with partners and regulators to determine the next steps. In March 2024, AstraZeneca voluntarily withdrew its marketing license for Vaxzevria in the European Union as part of its decision to discontinue promoting the vaccine.
Despite being one of the first COVID-19 vaccines to reach the market during the pandemic, Vaxzevria has faced scrutiny over its safety profile. Reports of adverse effects, including blood clots and low blood platelet counts, have raised concerns. AstraZeneca has been named in lawsuits related to these adverse effects, with plaintiffs alleging severe health consequences after receiving the vaccine.
One such plaintiff is Jamie Scott, an IT engineer and father of two, who developed a blood clot that caused permanent brain damage after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine in April 2021. Initially, AstraZeneca denied a causal link between the vaccine and this side effect. However, the company later acknowledged in court documents that the vaccine could cause thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), a condition characterized by blood clots and low platelet counts.