AstraZeneca COVID-19 jab wins EU approval as booster —firm

LONDON — AstraZeneca's COVID-19 jab has won approval for use as a booster or third jab in the European Union, the British drugs giant confirmed Monday.

The European Medicines Agency, the EU's drugs watchdog, had revealed the news on Thursday.

"AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, Vaxzevria, has been granted approval in the EU by the EMA as a third dose booster in adults," the company said in a statement.

"Healthcare professionals can now use Vaxzevria as a third dose booster in patients previously given a primary vaccine schedule of either Vaxzevria or an EU-approved mRNA COVID-19 vaccine."

The EMA had concluded there was a "substantial body of evidence demonstrating an increased immune response after a third dose booster with Vaxzevria," it added.

AstraZeneca rapidly developed its successful COVID-19 jab alongside the University of Oxford during the pandemic.

The group announced last month that Vaxzevria sales jumped fourfold to $1.15 billion in the first quarter, despite a 40-percent decline in Europe where the pandemic has been curbed by vaccinations.

But AstraZeneca also cautioned in April that COVID-19 revenues including Vaxzevria would drop this year as the health crisis recedes. — Agence France-Presse