|
 The Farxiga data did not achieve statistical significance in cutting
the risk of the disease worsening and death in such patients, the
Anglo-Swedish drugmaker said.
AstraZeneca has had a rollercoaster ride with its coronavirus
vaccine, as nations restricted its use after European and British
regulators confirmed possible links to rare blood clots.
However, the company has also been working on developing new
treatments and re-purposing existing drugs to prevent and treat
coronavirus infections.
In the Farxiga study, the drug was given over 30 days in a global
trial of 1,250 patients hospitalised with COVID-19, in addition to
the local standard of care, AstraZeneca said.
Patients in the trial also had a medical history of hypertension,
cardiovascular disease and heart failure, type-2 diabetes or chronic
kidney disease.
The trial did not achieve statistical significance for the main
goals of prevention and recovery at 30 days but AstraZeneca said the
safety and tolerability profile was consistent with the medicine's
established safety profile.
[to top of second column] |
 One of the company's other
treatments is an antibody cocktail called
AZD7442, designed to treat the disease rather
than prevent it as the vaccine aims to do.
The treatment, which is in late-stage trials, is
one of several being developed for COVID-19,
including efforts by rivals Moderna Inc and Eli
Lilly.
In March, AstraZeneca said it would supply up to
half a million extra doses of the antibody
cocktail to the United States, building on an
October 2020 contract for initial supplies of
200,000 doses, for a value of $726 million.
Shares were flat in early trading.
(Reporting by Vishwadha Chander in Bengaluru;
Editing by Shounak Dasgupta and Clarence
Fernandez)
[© 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2021 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content |
