AstraZeneca, the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker, announced on Wednesday the withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine, Vaxzevria, citing “commercial reasons” due to a decrease in demand.

The vaccine, one of the first developed during the pandemic, saw a decline in demand as multiple variant vaccines became available, according to an AstraZeneca spokesperson.

“With the availability of multiple variant COVID-19 vaccines, there is a surplus of updated vaccines, leading to a decline in demand for Vaxzevria, which is no longer being manufactured or supplied,” the statement read.

The decision comes as the world shifted towards mRNA vaccines, particularly Pfizer and BioNTech’s, following concerns about rare blood-clotting issues associated with AstraZeneca’s jab, which increased public hesitancy.

Sales of Vaxzevria further plummeted as COVID restrictions were lifted worldwide, signalling the end of the global health crisis.

AstraZeneca has initiated the process of withdrawing the vaccine from the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMA) region. It will also seek market authorization withdrawals globally where future commercial demand for the vaccine is not anticipated.

The company emphasized Vaxzevria’s significant contribution to the pandemic response, with over 6.5 million lives estimated to have been saved in its first year of use alone. More than three billion doses were supplied globally.

“We are incredibly proud of the role Vaxzevria played in ending the global pandemic,” the spokesperson stated. “Our efforts have been recognized by governments around the world and are widely regarded as being a critical component of ending the global pandemic.”

The withdrawal of Vaxzevria marks the end of a chapter in the fight against COVID-19, as the focus shifts towards other vaccines and strategies to combat the ongoing pandemic.