AstraZeneca Plc (NYSE:AZN) shares eked out gains soon after the open on Wednesday, as the company and Russia have agreed to test a combination of their vaccines. The company signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Gamaleya Institute, the Russian Direct Investment Fund, and Russia-based pharmaceutical firm R-Pharm to study the combination.
AstraZeneca and Amgen, on Tuesday, announced the SOURCE Phase 3 trial did not meet the primary endpoint of a statistically significant reduction in the daily oral corticosteroid dose, without loss of asthma control, with tezepelumab compared to placebo.
"AZD1222 (AstraZeneca’s vaccine candidate) contains the genetic material of the SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein, and the changes to the genetic code seen in this new viral strain do not appear to change the structure of the spike protein," an AstraZeneca representative said in an email.
"Through vaccination with AZD1222, the body’s immune system is trained to recognize many different parts of the spike protein, so that it can eliminate the virus if it is later exposed,” the AstraZeneca representative added.The mutation known as the B.1.1.7 lineage is up to 70% more transmissible and has prompted stringent lockdowns in U.K. and wave of travel ban.India is likely to approve Oxford-AstraZeneca’s vaccine for emergency use by next week, Reuters reported. This could be the first country."
AZN shares took on 19 cents to $48.92.
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