"AstraZeneca Halts US Booster Shot Clinical Trial... FDA Approval Seems Unlikely"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] AstraZeneca has reportedly halted its clinical trial for the COVID-19 vaccine booster shot in the United States. Analysts suggest that the company may have abandoned the trial altogether, anticipating that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will not grant approval.

According to Bloomberg on the 1st (local time), AstraZeneca sent a letter to participants at Montefiore Hospital in New York, where the booster shot trial was planned, informing them that the clinical trial had been stopped. The hospital stated, "After discussions with the government, it appears certain that AstraZeneca will not pursue approval for the third dose of the vaccine," adding, "The hospital has only recently become aware of this."

The hospital recommended that participants who could not receive the AstraZeneca booster shot due to the trial cancellation seek vaccination with other vaccines such as Pfizer, Moderna, or Janssen. AstraZeneca has not yet made an official announcement and reportedly did not respond to Bloomberg's related inquiries.

Previously, AstraZeneca, in collaboration with Oxford University and early vaccine developers like Pfizer and Moderna, succeeded in developing its own vaccine but has yet to receive approval from the U.S. FDA. It is known that AstraZeneca has not fully resolved doubts regarding clinical trial results and side effects.

Bloomberg added that research analyzing the effectiveness of AstraZeneca's booster shot on recipients of other vaccines is expected to be released soon in the United Kingdom.