AstraZeneca 'Very Comfortable' With COVID-19 Vaccine's Effectiveness In Preventing Severe Disease: Exec

U.K.-based AstraZeneca plc AZN has already administered millions of doses of its COVID-19 vaccine in its home country and is now ready to file for emergency use authorization in the U.S., AstraZeneca U.S. President Ruud Dobber said on CNBC's "Squawk Box."

AstraZeneca's Vaccine Efficacy: AstraZeneca disclosed Monday that its vaccine was 100% effective in preventing a severe disease outcome or hospitalization and was 79% effective in preventing symptomatic illness. The results followed a large trial of over 30,000 participants, mostly in the U.S.

Within the vaccinated group, there were zero cases of severe disease or death versus five cases in the group given a placebo, the exec said.

The findings are part of an interim analysis, but management is "very comfortable" with its claims, he said. 

AstraZeneca's Safety Profile: Multiple European countries temporarily banned the use of AstraZeneca's vaccine after recipients developed blood clots.

The recent trial showed no evidence of the risk, and an independent data safety monitoring board identified no safety concerns of its own.

"It was very pleasing to see that even with a magnifying glass the data safety monitoring board didn't see any imbalance between the vaccinated group and the placebo group," Dobber said. "So that gives us a lot of confidence."

Similar organizations in Europe also confirmed a similar safety profile last week, he said. 

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FDA Approval Timeline: AstraZeneca will file the paperwork with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the first half of April, and approval should be "fast," Dobber said.

Once approved, AstraZeneca is prepared to release 13 million vaccine doses for Americans, he said.

Despite more than 100 million vaccine doses having already administered across the U.S., there is "still a need for more vaccines" both in the US and elsewhere, the exec said. 

AZN Price Action: AstraZeneca shares were up 2.32% at $50.35 at last check Monday.