Neil Hall / Reuters
- The COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca may be 95% effective in preventing the virus, CEO Pascal Soriot told the Sunday Times over the weekend.
- Soriot also said that he thinks the vaccine could protect against a new strain of COVID-19 that is more contagious than the original and is spreading across the UK.
- AstraZeneca submitted vaccine data to UK health regulators last week and emergency use authorization may be imminent, with a release for UK citizens expected early next week.
- AstraZeneca’s shares jumped up to 4% in Monday’s trading.
- Watch the AstraZeneca trade live here.
The COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca may receive emergency use authorization from UK regulators on Monday or Tuesday this week, with a vaccine launch for UK citizens scheduled for the first week of 2021, according to with The Telegraph.
AstraZeneca sent its COVID-19 vaccine data to UK regulators on December 23, and CEO Pascal Soriot believes the data will show that the effectiveness of its vaccine in preventing COVID-19 infections is as high as that of Pfizer & BioNtech, with 95%.
“We think we have found the winning formula and how to achieve effectiveness that, after two doses, is up to everyone,” Soriot told the Sunday Times.
The vaccine data will be published “at some point,” Soriot told the newspaper.
AstraZeneca’s shares jumped as much as 4% in Monday’s trading, to $ 50.28.
Read More: ‘It could be a noisy 20s that will end badly’: A chief of stock who oversees more than $ 7 billion shares his investment manual and key predictions for 2021 and beyond
Soriot added that he believes AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine will protect against a new strain of the virus that is believed to be more contagious than the original strain and is spreading in the UK.
“We think the vaccine should remain effective” against the new strain, Soriot told the Sunday Times, adding that “we can’t be sure, so let’s try it out.”
A highly effective COVID-19 vaccine from AstraZeneca could speed up the launch and administration of vaccines to people around the world, since the two-dose vaccine does not require ultra-cool storage like the mRNA vaccines developed by Moderna and Pfizer / BioNtech.
The AstraZeneca vaccine requires refrigeration from 36 degrees to 46 degrees Fahrenheit and can be stored for at least six months.
The US has signed a contract with AstraZeneca for 300 million doses of its vaccine, exceeding its 200 million order for the Moderna and Pfizer / BioNtech vaccine.
Read More: Deutsche Bank says you need to own these 10 telecommunications stocks, as the vaccine’s progress spurs a 2021 recovery for defeated sectors