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- Biden faces silent Gaza protest at Martin Luther King Jr's college
- Ten Hag says Man Utd 'must do everything' to win FA Cup after Premier League flop
- Cannes film follows Egypt feminists on brink of adulthood
- Pep Guardiola: Man City manager addicted to winning
- Jackson wins season opener in Marrakesh with all eyes on Paris
- Things get real as imaginary friend flick 'If' tops N.America box office
- Paris seeks to boost sluggish sales for Paralympic Games
- How a French director pulled off Cannes's crazy Mexican narcos hit
- Man City make case to be ranked as England's greatest-ever team
- Hamdy gives Zamalek second CAF Confederation Cup title
- Rome champion Zverev eyes French Open but wary of Djokovic 'at his best'
- Spain recalls its ambassador to Argentina over 'insult'
- Real Sociedad reach Europa League, Cadiz relegated
- Man City's six Premier League titles in seven years 'insane': Guardiola
- Dramatic last-round showdown under way at PGA Championship
- It may take 100 points to stop Man City, says Arsenal boss Arteta
- Arteta has Arsenal primed for success despite title pain
- Klopp hails 'superpower' fans in emotional Liverpool farewell
- Intense search for Iran's President Raisi after helicopter 'accident'
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- Hamilton says Mercedes in 'no man's land'
- Inter held by Lazio at title party as debt deadline looms, Sassuolo down
- 'We want more than this': Arteta urges Arsenal to respond after title pain
- Five reasons why Man City won the Premier League
- Biden says Gaza protester voices 'should be heard'
- Hyderabad finish second after last IPL league match washed out
- Winning feeling never gets old for Man City 'sniper' Foden
- Man City win historic fourth straight Premier League title
- Haaland wins second Premier League Golden Boot
- Arsenal's title dreams dashed despite last-day win over Everton
- Foden fires Man City to record fourth consecutive Premier League title
- Zverev beats Jarry to claim second Rome Open title
- Imola proves McLaren are back in business predicts Norris
- Sean 'Diddy' Combs apologizes after video shows him assaulting partner
- Blue Origin flies thrill seekers to space, including oldest astronaut
- S.Africa top court to rule on Zuma election ban Monday
- Horner hails 'great' Italian job by Verstappen to resist Norris
- Biden reaches out to Gaza protesters in speech at rights icon's college
- Deadly strikes hit Gaza as US envoy visits Israel
- Ship that destroyed Baltimore bridge set to move Monday
- Pogacar soars to landmark Giro win on snow-capped peak
- Klopp receives emotional farewell tribute from Liverpool fans
- Slovak PM's life no longer in danger after shooting
- Scheffler well back at PGA as officials say no bodycam video of arrest
- Strikes kills 11 in Ukraine region under Russian offensive
- Argentina's Milei stars in global far-right rally in Spain
- Verstappen resists Norris attack to claim dramatic victory at Imola
- Raducanu pulls out of French Open qualifying to train on grass
- Verstappen holds off Norris to clinch Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
AstraZeneca withdraws Covid vaccine as demand dives
Anglo-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca on Wednesday said it was withdrawing Covid vaccine Vaxzevria, one of the first produced in the deadly pandemic, citing "commercial reasons" following a slump in demand.
"As multiple, variant Covid-19 vaccines have since been developed there is a surplus of available updated vaccines. This has led to a decline in demand for Vaxzevria, which is no longer being manufactured or supplied," an AstraZeneca spokesperson added in a statement.
"We will now work with regulators and our partners to align on a clear path forward to conclude this chapter and significant contribution to the Covid-19 pandemic."
AstraZeneca rapidly developed the successful Covid-19 jab during the coronavirus pandemic which erupted in the first half of 2020.
Vaxzevria, developed alongside Oxford University, was at first offered at cost but Astra decided in late 2021 to sell it for profit.
But the world pivoted towards mRNA vaccines, particularly the one produced by US drugs giant Pfizer and German peer BioNTech, after rare blood-clot problems with Astra's jab increased public hesitancy about taking it.
Sales collapsed further as global Covid restrictions were fully lifted worldwide and the world emerged from the global health crisis.
The AstraZeneca spokesperson said the group had begun the process from taking it off the market in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMA) region.
The company will work with other regulators globally to start market authorisation withdrawals for the Vaxzevria "where no future commercial demand for the vaccine is expected".
The spokesperson said that, according to independent estimates, "over 6.5 million lives were saved in the first year of use alone" and more than three billion doses were supplied globally.
"We are incredibly proud of the role Vaxzevria played in ending the global pandemic," the spokesperson said.
"Our efforts have been recognised by governments around the world and are widely regarded as being a critical component of ending the global pandemic. "
F.Müller--BTB