Benzinga | Jan 13, 2022 11:45AM EST

AstraZeneca Sells Additional Half-Million Doses Of Its COVID-19 Antibody To US

AstraZeneca Plc (NASDAQ:AZN) said the U.S. government has agreed to purchase an additional 500,000 doses of its antibody cocktail, Evusheld, used to prevent COVID-19.

* The Company said the delivery of the doses was expected in Q1 of 2022, and more details about the deal would be announced in the coming weeks.

* The additional doses will add to the previous purchase of 700,000 doses of the antibody therapy.

* In December, the antibody showed it retained neutralizing activity against the highly transmissible Omicron coronavirus variant in a lab study.

* The FDA last month authorized Evusheld to prevent COVID-19 infections in individuals with weak immune systems or a history of severe side effects from coronavirus vaccines.

* The Company said it is the only antibody therapy authorized in the United States to prevent COVID-19 symptoms before virus exposure.

* Price Action: AZN shares are -0.2% at $58.39 during the premarket session on the last check Thursday.