(Reuters) -AstraZeneca is creating a separate division for vaccines and antibody therapies to be led by senior executive Iskra Reić, the drugmaker said on Tuesday, as it builds focus on its COVID-19 shot and development of coronavirus treatments.
Reuters reported in July the Anglo-Swedish company was exploring options for its vaccine business and expected to have greater clarity on the matter by the end of 2021.
The new unit will combine research and development, manufacturing, commercial and medical teams, a spokesperson said.
“The team will be dedicated to our COVID-19 vaccine, our long-acting antibody combination and our developmental vaccine addressing multiple variants of concern, as well as to our existing portfolio for respiratory viral disease,” he said.
The news was first reported by the Financial Times.
(Reporting by Pushkala Aripaka in BengaluruWriting by Josephine Mason Editing by Anil D’Silva and Mark Potter)
