Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine: underdog provider needs to pass potency test
The Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine may have saved more lives than any other. But it has been dogged by controversy and setbacks. Thursday’s news that the vaccine’s booster appears to work against the Omicron variant could shore up its shaky position.
There are caveats. The latest findings emerged from a lab study. There could be a wait of several weeks before real-world data is available. Moreover, the study suggested Pfizer’s rival jab was better at raising antibodies. That is likely to confirm the Oxford/AZ jab’s underdog status for those who have a choice of vaccine.
The UK has opted for the Pfizer vaccine in its booster campaign. This is in spite of national pride in the joint effort of one of Britain’s top universities and its largest company by market capitalisation.
Their achievement can be measured in the delivery of 2.3bn doses — more than any other vaccine, according to data firm Airfinity. Moreover, this was done at cost. AZ now plans to make profits, but they will be modest. Credit Suisse expects it to book revenues of $1bn from the vaccine next year. The operating profit margin is likely to be less than 10 per cent.
The UK’s decision, though wounding, does not mean the jab has no future. It was partly based on concerns about a rare side effect and partly on evidence that a Pfizer booster had greater efficacy for those who previously received an AZ vaccine.
Reports of the side effects have been rare outside of Europe, Canada and Australia, according to a study in the Lancet. And while a Pfizer booster is better for those who previously had the Oxford/AZ jab, the benefits from mixing vaccines gives the latter a role elsewhere. A Latin American study showed strong results when the Oxford/AZ jab was used as a booster after CoronaVac, the shot developed by China’s Sinovac. This could be significant, especially after a recent study showed a third dose of the Sinovac vaccine provided “inadequate” protection.
The emergence of Omicron has prompted AZ and its competitors to begin developing specially-targeted vaccines. But 6bn doses at most are likely to be available by next October, says Airfinity. Proving the efficacy of existing boosters against Omicron remains vitally important. If Oxford/AZ can do so, its inexpensive, easy-to-store vaccine has a good chance of re-establishing bragging rights.
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