AstraZeneca Launches FluMist Home, the First Self-Administered Nasal Flu Vaccine for At-Home Use Amid Declining Vaccination Rates

SmartCom APP learned that pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca PLC released its influenza vaccine nasal spray for home use on Friday, amid a period of controversy in the United States regarding vaccine accessibility.

FluMist Home is the same product as this pharmaceutical giant's seasonal flu vaccine spray, which has been provided by clinicians over the past two decades. FluMist Home received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last fall for use in individuals aged 2 years and older.

Driven by a global investment boom in innovative drugs this year and the strong revenue generated by AstraZeneca's (AZN.US) "innovative drug fleet" of combination cancer treatments, AstraZeneca's stock price has surged 22% year-to-date in the U.S. market, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 Index.

AstraZeneca's Q2 earnings report shows that its cancer-fighting drug portfolio achieved an overall revenue of $6.3 billion in the second quarter, far exceeding Wall Street analysts' expectations, mainly due to the strong demand for innovative drugs such as Tagrisso and Imfinzi. Tagrisso generated product revenue of $1.8 billion for AstraZeneca in the second quarter, a 13% increase year-on-year, while Imfinzi’s product revenue reached $1.5 billion during the same period, with a year-on-year increase of 30%. Both products’ revenues surpassed Wall Street expectations.

"Now, families can choose to order the spray vaccine online, confirm the delivery date and time, and the product will come with instructions on how to administer it," Andrew Leone, Executive Director of Marketing for the U.S. Vaccines and Immune Therapies Division of the company, said Thursday at a media event in Philadelphia.

FluMist Home is only available to people with insurance. Leone stated that customers with insurance only need to pay a shipping and handling fee of just $8.99. A spokesperson for the company said that customers not covered by insurance can pay about $70. To obtain the spray, customers need to fill out an online medical questionnaire including their insurance information.

The product was launched during a period of broader turmoil in U.S. vaccine policy. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the long-time "anti-vaccine" U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, fired all members of the influential vaccine advisory committee—the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). He will replace them with his own selections, some of whom are skeptical about vaccines. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services even canceled mRNA vaccine research contracts and withdrew official recommendations for COVID-19 vaccinations for healthy children.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the influenza vaccine uptake has been steadily declining. According to preliminary data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 46% of American adults received the flu vaccine during the last flu season, down from approximately half five years ago.

According to preliminary data, the 2024–2025 flu season has caused at least approximately 27,000 deaths, including 267 children. Nearly all of these children were not fully immunized.

"The more people we can get vaccinated, the more protection we can provide to everyone," said Tonya Villafana, Vice President of Medical and Scientific Affairs at AstraZeneca's Vaccine and Immune Therapy Division, at the event.

The medication will be transported in a refrigerated container, and if it cannot be administered immediately, the customer should place the package in a refrigerator. Patients can scan the QR code with their mobile phone to ensure the temperature is controlled before use. If the product has not been kept at the correct temperature, the customer will receive a reminder and can collaborate with the pharmacy to obtain a replacement.

Leone said that the product would come with instructions on how to report users' vaccination status to the state health department or local doctors.

At the launch event, Brandon Jones, General Manager of one of AstraZeneca's manufacturing plants, stated that the Philadelphia production infrastructure for FluMist Home is one of 11 sites in the U.S. and serves 20 countries. AstraZeneca, headquartered in the UK, has committed to investing approximately $50 billion in the U.S. by 2030 for manufacturing and R&D projects targeting the American market.

In a July earnings call with reporters, AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot said that the company’s headquarters and large manufacturing plants are located in the United States, and the impending Trump administration's drug tariffs are expected to have minimal impact on the company.