AstraZeneca updates vaccine candidate data; adjusts efficacy for preventing symptomatic COVID-19 to 76%

Mar 25, 2021 - 03:31 PM
A clinician delivers a flu vaccine into a female patient's right arm.

AstraZeneca today revised its data on its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, that its AZD1222 vaccine showed a 76% efficacy in preventing symptomatic COVID-19. 

The drug maker previously said its two-dose candidate is 79% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19. AstraZeneca also changed its estimated efficacy in people over 65, increasing it from 80% percent to 85%.

All revisions were attributed to 鈥減re-specified interim analysis,鈥 which had sparked concerns from the Data and Safety Monitoring Board, which monitors AstraZeneca鈥檚 phase 3 clinical trial.

Meanwhile, a South African study in the New England Journal of Medicine on natural immunity and vaccine efficacy against the UK (B.1.1.7), South African (501Y.V2) and Brazilian (P.1) variants of SARS-CoV-2 found that the AstraZeneca vaccine may be much less effective against the South African variant.
 

Related News Articles

Headline
Senate Finance Committee advances RFK Jr. nomination for HHS secretary
The Senate Finance Committee Feb. 4 voted 14-13 to advance Robert F. Kennedy Jr.鈥檚 nomination for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. A鈥
Headline
View the AHA's latest United Against the Flu toolkit celebrating fall
AHA's latest social media toolkit for encouraging vaccination against the flu and COVID-19 provides fall-themed social media posts and graphics. Download the鈥
Headline
CDC recommends two doses of COVID-19 vaccine for older individuals, lowers pneumococcal vaccine age聽
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week endorsed a recommendation for people aged 65 and older and for immunocompromised individuals to鈥
Headline
CDC reminds hospital and health system workers to protect themselves, patients during respiratory virus season
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reminding clinicians and other health care workers to take necessary steps to keep themselves and their鈥
Chairperson's File
Chair File: The Best Defense Against Flu and COVID-19
Autumn is here, and that means cooler weather and also the start of flu season.We know the best way to prevent influenza is to get a flu vaccine. The Centers鈥
Headline
Survey: Less than 20% of U.S. adults concerned for themselves or family receiving infection ahead of respiratory virus season
The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases Sept. 25 released a survey showing that less than one in five U.S. adults are concerned about themselves or a鈥