- Profits to finally accrue from the vaccine roll-out
- Shares dip as Q3 margins take a hit
Is the pandemic over? Apparently so, judging by AstraZeneca’s (AZN) third-quarter update. As part of its original agreement with Oxford University Innovation, the pharma group committed to a non-profit roll-out of its Covid-19 vaccine for the duration of the pandemic, but it has now signed standard commercial agreements, thereby enabling it to fund the development of its antibody treatment for the virus.
It should be noted, however, that it will still provide the vaccine to emerging economies at cost, so profit will be relatively modest by comparison to its US rivals.