AstraZeneca to Launch New Vaccines and Antibodies Unit

AstraZeneca is setting up a new business unit dedicated to overseeing its vaccines and antibody therapies.

The new group will oversee the company’s COVID-19 shot Vaxzevria and its long-acting COVID-19 combination therapy AZD7442, currently under review for Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA and under a rolling review by the European Medicines Agency. The unit will also continue development on experimental shots meant to address coronavirus variants and be responsible for the drugmaker’s other current respiratory viral disease treatments.

“In order to optimize the management of our existing portfolio of vaccines and antibodies … We are creating a dedicated Vaccines and Immune Therapies Unit that brings together R&D, manufacturing, commercial and medical teams,” a spokesperson told FDAnews.

The division will be led by Iskra Reic, AstraZeneca’s executive vice president of Europe and Canada.