AstraZeneca launches first FDA-approved at-home flu vaccine

WILMINGTON - AstraZeneca (AZN), a prominent player in the global pharmaceuticals industry with a market capitalization of $243.1 billion, introduced FluMist Home on Friday, the first FDA-approved influenza vaccine that can be self-administered by adults or given by caregivers to children without professional medical assistance. According to InvestingPro analysis, the company currently appears undervalued, with multiple growth catalysts identified by analysts.

The nasal spray vaccine, which requires no needles, is available for adults aged 18-49 to self-administer and for caregivers to administer to children aged 2-17. The service allows eligible individuals to order the vaccine online after completing a medical screening questionnaire reviewed by a licensed healthcare provider. This innovation comes as AstraZeneca maintains strong financial performance, with revenue growing 15% over the last twelve months and a robust gross profit margin of 82%.

Once approved, the vaccine is delivered directly to homes in temperature-controlled packaging with administration instructions. The service is currently available in 34 states covering approximately 80% of the eligible U.S. population, with plans to expand to all 48 contiguous states in future flu seasons.

"The launch of FluMist Home is a transformational moment in the evolution of influenza protection, bringing a simple and accessible option directly into the hands of consumers," said Joris Silon, U.S. Country President and Senior Vice President at AstraZeneca.

The 2024-2025 influenza season was classified as high-severity across all age groups in the U.S., resulting in at least 610,000 hospitalizations and 27,000 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

FluMist was initially approved by the FDA in 2003, with the self-administration approval coming in September 2024 following research showing that individuals over 18 can safely and effectively administer the vaccine. Human factors studies demonstrated that 100% of intended users successfully administered a full dose when given proper instructions.

The vaccine will continue to be available in doctors’ offices and pharmacies nationwide for administration by healthcare professionals, according to the company’s press release statement. For investors seeking deeper insights into AstraZeneca’s growth potential and comprehensive analysis, InvestingPro offers exclusive access to detailed financial health metrics and expert research reports, along with 10+ additional ProTips that could inform investment decisions.

In other recent news, AstraZeneca announced plans to invest $50 billion in the United States by 2030, focusing on medicines manufacturing and research and development. This investment includes a new multi-billion dollar drug substance manufacturing facility in Virginia, which will be the company’s largest single facility investment to date. Additionally, AstraZeneca’s investigational drug baxdrostat showed positive results in a Phase III clinical trial for patients with uncontrolled or treatment-resistant hypertension, meeting both primary and secondary endpoints. In the trial, baxdrostat demonstrated significant reductions in systolic blood pressure compared to placebo.

Furthermore, AstraZeneca’s lung cancer drug TAGRISSO, when combined with chemotherapy, showed improved overall survival in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer, according to the final results of the FLAURA2 Phase III trial. However, not all developments were positive; the company’s Phase III trial of anselamimab for light chain amyloidosis did not meet its primary endpoint. Despite this, a prespecified subgroup of patients showed improvement in survival and reduced cardiovascular hospitalizations when treated with anselamimab compared to placebo. These recent developments reflect AstraZeneca’s ongoing efforts in drug research and development across various therapeutic areas.

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