AstraZeneca CEO 'confident' COVID-19 vaccine yield will increase in Q2

AstraZeneca's Chief Executive Pascal Soriot said on Thursday he is "confident" yields in its COVID-19 vaccine will increase in the second quarter, as the company aims to boost European Union supplies after big cuts in the first three months of the year.

Soriot said the company aims to deliver doses from its international network, including the United States, so that it can meet volumes originally agreed in its deal with the European Union signed last year.

Lower-than-expected yields - the amount of vaccine that can be made from base ingredients - at its factories hurt output in the first three months, he said.