NEW YORK, March 24, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP (www.kaplanfox.com) is investigating claims on behalf of investors who purchased AstraZeneca PLC’s American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”) (NASDAQ: AZN) between May 21, 2020 and November 20, 2020 (the “Class Period”).
A complaint has been filed alleging that Defendants misrepresented and failed to disclose widespread flaws in the design and execution of AstraZeneca’s clinical trials of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate (AZD1222), including that a substantial number of trial participants received half the designed dosage due to a manufacturing error.
On Nov. 23, 2020, AstraZeneca announced an interim analysis of its trial, revealing that the Company used two different dosing regimens in two smaller scale trials. In one trial, patients received a half dose followed by a full dose (resulting in 90% efficacy). In the other, patients received two full doses (resulting in 62% efficacy). Further, the complaint alleges that AstraZeneca revealed that the half dosing regimen was the result of a manufacturing error discovered early in the trial process and not part of the original trial design.
Following this news, the price of AstraZeneca’s ADSs declined by about 5% over three trading days to close at $52.60 per share.
Then, on March 23, 2021, The New York Times reported that “a group of medical experts charged with monitoring the company’s clinical trial made a highly unusual accusation: AstraZeneca had essentially cherry-picked data to make its vaccine look better.”
Following this news, the price of AstraZeneca’s ADSs declined again by about 3.5% to close at $49.40 per share.
If you are a member of the proposed Class, you may move the court no later than March 27, 2021 to serve as a lead plaintiff for the purported class. You need not seek to become a lead plaintiff in order to share in any possible recovery. If you would like to discuss the complaint or our investigation, please contact us by emailing pmayer@kaplanfox.com or by calling (646) 315-9003.
This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.
Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP, with offices in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and New Jersey, has many years of experience in prosecuting investor class actions. For more information about Kaplan Fox & Kilsheimer LLP, you may visit our website at www.kaplanfox.com. If you have any questions about this Notice, your rights, or your interests, please contact:
Donald R. Hall
KAPLAN FOX & KILSHEIMER LLP
850 Third Avenue, 14th Floor
New York, New York 10022
(646) 315-9003
E-mail: dhall@kaplanfox.com
Laurence D. King
KAPLAN FOX & KILSHEIMER LLP
1999 Harrison Street, Suite 1560
Oakland, California 94612
(415) 772-4704
Fax: (415) 772-4707
E-mail: lking@kaplanfox.com