Britain on Wednesday became the first country in the world to approve the coronavirus vaccine developed by drug firm AstraZeneca and Oxford University, with a mass rollout planned from January 4.The vaccine can be stored, transported and handled at normal refrigerated conditions, and is therefore cheaper and easier to administer than the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna jabs that require freezing.The government said in a statement that it had "today accepted the recommendation from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to authorise Oxford University/AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine for use."
AstraZeneca runs into meaningful investor revolt over pay
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Last Updated: May 11, 2021, 10:20 PM IST
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At an annual meeting of shareholders, 60.19% of votes were cast by shareholders in favour of approving Soriot s pay proposal, which takes his maximum annual bonus for 2021 to 2.5 times his base salary, up from twice his salary, and makes him eligible for long-term share awards worth as much as 6.5 times his salary, up from 5.5 times.
Reuters
The company said it recognised that a meaningful proportion of shareholders were against the change to directors pay and would continue to engage with them.
AstraZeneca said a meaningful proportion of its shareholders voted against CEO Pascal Soriot s improved pay package on Tuesday, exposing a rift as the drugmaker deals with problems surrounding its COVID-19 vaccine.
By Syndicated Content
May 11, 2021 | 8:11 AM
(Reuters) -AstraZeneca investors on Tuesday approved Chief Executive Pascal Soriotâs pay package proposal by a narrow margin after advisory groups said the rewards were excessive.
At an annual meeting of shareholders, 60.19% of votes were cast by shareholders in favour of approving Soriotâs pay proposal, which takes his maximum annual bonus for 2021 to 2.5 times his base salary, up from twice his salary, and makes him eligible for long-term share awards worth as much as 6.5 times his salary, up from 5.5 times.
The development comes as the London-listed company faces a second legal action from the European Union over delayed deliveries of its COVID-19 vaccine and concerns over the risk of rare blood clots possibly linked to the jab.
Simon Evans
About 45 people who completed hotel quarantine in Adelaide are being forced back into two more weeks of isolation after news of a COVID-19 leak at their hotel.
Genomic testing has confirmed that a Victorian man caught the virus from quarantine at the Playford medi-hotel in the Adelaide CBD.
The man, aged in his 30s, appears to have contracted the virus from an infected person in an adjacent hotel room. The Victorian man tested positive after flying to Melbourne on May 4 after he left quarantine.
South Australia’s chief public health officer, Dr Nicola Spurrier, said late on Wednesday that authorities in SA are now tracking down people who were on Level 3 of the Playford Hotel during the period in question and have since been discharged.
May 10, 20217:47 PM UTC
Sustainable BusinessAstraZeneca plan to beef up CEO Soriotâs pay packet faces scrutiny at AGM
Reuters
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Pascal Soriot, chief executive officer of pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, attends an interview with Reuters in Shanghai, China November 4, 2019. Picture taken November 4, 2019. REUTERS/Brenda Goh/File Photo
A number of investor advisory groups have called on AstraZeneca (AZN.L) shareholders to oppose plans to increase Chief Executive Pascal Soriotâs pay package when the COVID-19 vaccine maker holds its annual meeting on Tuesday.
AstraZeneca developed one of the first vaccines to tackle the novel coronavirus but the Anglo-Swedish company has suffered a series of setbacks, with disputes over supplies to the European Union and concerns over the risk of rare blood clots.