London (AFP)

Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca announced Thursday that sales of its Covid-19 vaccine reached $ 1.17 billion in the first half of the year, and raised its forecast.

This figure corresponds to the delivery of around 319 million doses worldwide - of which 97 million to the European Union.

Sales of the vaccine represented $ 572 million in Europe, and $ 455 million in emerging countries, according to a statement.

However, the Anglo-Swedish laboratory selling its serum at cost price, these receipts represent only a fraction of the sales of vaccines of its American rival Pfizer in partnership with the German BioNTech, which plans to sell for 33.5 billion dollars. dollars of coronavirus vaccines this year around the world.

AstraZeneca's Covid-19 serum, a laboratory that had not been used much in vaccines until now, was one of the very first on the market, along with that from Pfizer.

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AstraZeneca has even overtaken the British giant GSK in the race for serums against the coronavirus.

The latter is only counting on the end of the year for its own vaccine, weighed down by delays and developed in partnership with the French Sanofi.

The launch of the AstraZeneca vaccine had been followed by many problems for the group, including doubts about its effectiveness and concerns after several blood clots, however very rare in view of the millions of doses administered.

To this was added a dispute with Brussels over deliveries.

- Confident for 2021 -

AstraZeneca also intends to seek approval for its vaccine in the United States during the second half of the year, he noted in his statement, behind schedule initially planned.

In total, AstraZeneca's first-half sales grew by around 20% to $ 15.5 billion and net profit by around 40% to $ 2.1 billion, including solid growth in new drugs. .

The group stresses that progress in its portfolio of developing products and the acquisition of Alexion which has just been finalized supports its longer-term growth, which leads it to raise its earnings forecast for the whole year.

The group is now counting on revenue to increase by 20 to 23% for 2021.

The Swedish-British pharmaceutical group announced in mid-July that it had obtained the green light from the United Kingdom for the purchase of US $ 39 billion of the American biotech Alexion, specializing in rare diseases.

"AstraZeneca generated another period of strong growth thanks to a solid performance in all regions and in all pathologies", particularly in oncology, said CEO Pascal Soriot.

The group however recognizes "still significant risks and uncertainties related to the impact of Covid-19, including the potential impact of new drugs against the virus currently in clinical development", he adds.

The stock rose 0.13% to 8,277.00 pence around 10:00 GMT in a sharply rising market.

© 2021 AFP