AstraZeneca said its focus will be on inoculating people in low- middle-income countries. Reuters
AstraZeneca said its focus will be on inoculating people in low- middle-income countries. Reuters
AstraZeneca said its focus will be on inoculating people in low- middle-income countries. Reuters
AstraZeneca said its focus will be on inoculating people in low- middle-income countries. Reuters

AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine sales triple, but US plans delayed again


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Sales of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine tripled in the second quarter to $894 million, but its application for approval in the US has again been delayed.

The Anglo-Swedish drug company will now file an application for approval in the next two to three months which, it hopes, will be approved "relatively quickly", chief executive Pacal Soriot told Bloomberg TV on Thursday.

With three vaccines already approved in the US, “there’s no emergency need any more”, he said. “Right now, our focus is to produce vaccines for the low- and- middle-income countries"

Mr Soirot's company also announced that it hopes to resolve its legal dispute with the EU over vaccine deliveries in the next few months, and that it would file for vaccine approval in the US in the first half of 2022.

The Oxford-made vaccine has been touted as a heavy weapon against the pandemic because it is cheaper to produce and easier to use than some rivals, making it ideal for poorer nations.

AstraZeneca and its Indian manufacturing partner, the Serum Institute, said they have supplied 1 billion doses to 170 countries so far.

Its focus on getting the whole world inoculated tallies with its pledge to not take a profit from the vaccine during the pandemic, setting it apart from rivals such as Pfizer, which are getting a considerable financial boost. The US company said this week it expects its vaccine to bring in $33.5 billion in revenue in the year.

AstraZeneca has refused to make a sales forecast on its Oxford University-engineered vaccine but reported $1.17bn in sales in the first six months of year. This puts it among the company's bestselling products, behind first-placed lung cancer drug Tagrisso on $2.54bn.

The vaccine sales were based on deliveries of about 319 million doses, giving an average price of about $3.7 per dose. Deliveries from the Serum Institute were not included.

Astra hoping for Alexion boost

Elsewhere, AstraZeneca is hoping for a boost from the recent purchase of rare medicines business Alexion, to add to its fast-growing cancer medicines unit and newer drugs, such as treatments for diabetes and heart conditions.

Including Alexion, it now expects total revenue to increase by a low-twenties percentage this year, and core earnings of $5.05 to $5.40 per share. The forecasts do not include sales from the vaccine.

Total revenue of $8.22bn for the three months to June, on a constant currency basis, beat analysts' consensus forecast of $7.58bn. Core earnings of 90 cents per share fell short of an estimated 92 cents.

If AstraZeneca's vaccine had been approved in the US, its financial results would have looked much rosier.

The firm was one of the first out of the traps on a coronavirus vaccine and had originally planned to file for approval in April. However, questions surrounding the company’s US trial results slowed it down as the likes of Pfizer and Moderna raced ahead.



Porsche Macan T: The Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo 

Power: 265hp from 5,000-6,500rpm 

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Top speed: 232kph 

Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km 

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Price: From Dh259,900  

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All matches at the Harare Sports Club:

1st ODI, Wednesday - Zimbabwe won by 7 wickets

2nd ODI, Friday, April 12

3rd ODI, Sunday, April 14

4th ODI, Tuesday, April 16

UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed

UK-EU trade at a glance

EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years

Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products

Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries

Smoother border management with use of e-gates

Cutting red tape on import and export of food

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Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

The specs
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Develop an innovative business concept

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Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business

* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna

Ticket prices

General admission Dh295 (under-three free)

Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free

Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets

Sinopharm vaccine explained

The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades. 

“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.

"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."

This is then injected into the body.

"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.

"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."

The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.

Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.

“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.

While you're here
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Updated: July 29, 2021, 11:35 AM`