09/26/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/26/2025 07:11
AstraZeneca Direct is designed to offer greater convenience
AstraZeneca today announces the launch of AstraZeneca Direct, an online platform designed to create a simple, convenient way for eligible patients to access their prescribed medications at a transparent cash price with home delivery. AstraZeneca Direct will support people living with chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart failure and chronic kidney disease, and people seeking flu protection.
Starting October 1, 2025, eligible patients with prescriptions for AIRSUPRA® (albuterol/budesonide) or FARXIGA® (dapaglifozin) will be able to use AstraZeneca Direct to purchase these medicines directly for a cash price up to 70% off list price. Additionally, patients will also be able to order FLUMIST® (Influenza Vaccine Live, Intranasal) for home delivery through the online platform.
Joris Silon, US Country President, AstraZeneca, said: "We remain deeply committed to improving accessibility, affordability, and driving innovation in healthcare and we are excited to launch AstraZeneca Direct, which will give patients a transparent cash price with the convenience of home delivery. The program complements our existing patient support services and is an important step forward in offering patients the medication they need, when and how they need it."
AstraZeneca Direct is an extension of the company's longstanding US patient support offerings which continue unchanged for eligible patients. These programs help a significant number of eligible patients access their prescribed AstraZeneca medication at no or reduced cost.
AstraZeneca Direct can be accessed directly at AstraZenecaDirect.com starting Wednesday, October 1, 2025.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR AIRSUPRA® (albuterol and budesonide)
APPROVED USE
AIRSUPRA combines 2 medicines to be used as needed as a rescue inhaler in people 18 years of age and older to:
Please see full Prescribing Information and Patient Information and discuss with your doctor.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR FARXIGA® (dapagliflozin) 5 mg and
10 mg tablets
Who should not take FARXIGA?
Do not take FARXIGA if you are allergic to dapagliflozin or any of the ingredients in FARXIGA. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction may include skin rash, raised red patches on your skin (hives), swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and throat that may cause difficulty in breathing or swallowing. If you have any of these symptoms, stop taking FARXIGA and contact your healthcare provider or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away.
What are the possible side effects of FARXIGA?
FARXIGA may cause serious side effects including:
The most common side effects of FARXIGA include yeast infections of the vagina or penis, and changes in urination, including urgent need to urinate more often, in larger amounts, or at night.
What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking FARXIGA?
Before you take FARXIGA, tell your healthcare provider:
Approved Uses for FARXIGA® (dapagliflozin)
What is FARXIGA?
FARXIGA is a prescription medicine used to:
FARXIGA is not for use to improve blood sugar (glucose) control in people with type 1 diabetes.
FARXIGA is not for use to improve blood sugar (glucose) control in people with type 2 diabetes who have moderate to severe kidney problems, because it may not work.
FARXIGA is not for people with certain genetic forms of polycystic kidney disease, or who are taking or have recently received immunosuppressive therapy to treat kidney disease. FARXIGA is not expected to work if you have these conditions.
Please see Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for FARXIGA.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR FLUMIST® (Influenza Vaccine Live, Intranasal)
APPROVED USE
FLUMIST is a vaccine that is sprayed into the nose to help protect against influenza in people ages 2 through 49 years. FLUMIST may not prevent influenza in everyone who gets vaccinated.
Please see full Prescribing Information, including Patient Information and Instructions for Use
You may report side effects related to AstraZeneca products
Notes
About AIRSUPRA
AIRSUPRA® (albuterol and budesonide), formerly known as PT027, is a first-in-class SABA/ICS rescue treatment for asthma in the US, to be taken as needed. It is an inhaled, fixed-dose combination rescue medication containing albuterol (also known as salbutamol), a SABA, and budesonide, a corticosteroid, and has been developed in a pMDI using AstraZeneca's Aerosphere delivery technology.
The FDA approval of AIRSUPRA was based on MANDALA and DENALI Phase III trials (Approval press release). In MANDALA, AIRSUPRA significantly reduced the risk of severe exacerbations compared to albuterol in patients with moderate-to-severe asthma when used as an as-needed rescue medication in response to symptoms. For patients treated with AIRSUPRA 180 mcg/160 mcg the annualized total systemic corticosteroids dose when compared with albuterol 180 mcg was statistically significantly different, with a reduction in mean annualized dose of 40 mg per patient. In DENALI, AIRSUPRA significantly improved lung function compared to the individual components albuterol and budesonide in patients with mild to moderate asthma.
About FARXIGA
FARXIGA® (dapagliflozin) in the US and marketed as Forxiga in the rest of world, is a first-in-class, oral, once-daily sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor. As of June 2024, FARXIGA was approved in 126 countries as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with T2D. FARXIGA is approved for pediatric patients aged 10 years and above with T2D in the EU and other countries based on the T2GO trial.1,2
In addition, FARXIGA is approved for the treatment of heart failure across the full ventricular ejection fraction range (HFrEF and HFpEF) and CKD in adult patients in more than 100 countries around the world. FARXIGA was the first heart failure medication to demonstrate mortality benefit across the full ejection fraction range.3
About FLUMIST
FLUMIST® (Influenza Vaccine Live, Intranasal) is a live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV), which is administered as a nasal spray for the prevention of influenza.4 FLUMIST is an Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)-recommended influenza vaccine option.5,6 FLUMIST was originally approved in the US in 2003 and since then almost 200 million doses have been distributed around the world.7,8
FluMist Home State Availability
Pharmacy laws vary state-by-state. For the 2025-2026 flu season, FluMist Home will be available in the following states: AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, MA, MD, ME, MI, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NV, OH, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, and WY. For the 2025-2026 flu season. FluMist Home will not be available in: AK, AR, DC, DE, HI, IN, KS, KY, LA, MN, MO, MS, NM, NY, OK, RI, and WV. Our aim is to have this service available in all 48 contiguous states in future seasons.
Human Factors Usability Study for FluMist Self-Administration
FLUMIST for self- or caregiver-administration was approved by the FDA in September 2024, following research demonstrating that individuals over 18 years of age can safely and effectively self-administer or administer FLUMIST to eligible individuals. In FDA-required human factors/usability studies, AstraZeneca evaluated if individuals 18 through 49 years of age could appropriately administer FLUMIST when given instructions for use. The results showed that 100% of intended users successfully administered a full dose.9 In addition, data show that efficacy, immunogenicity and adverse events with self-administration of FLUMIST are similar to those seen with HCP-administered vaccination.10 The FLUMIST label has been updated to provide additional instructions on self and caregiver administration for eligible patients. Children 2-8 years of age with an uncertain vaccination history may not be eligible for caregiver administration and should consult their healthcare provider for further information.4
AstraZeneca in Respiratory & Immunology
Respiratory & Immunology, part of AstraZeneca BioPharmaceuticals, is a key disease area and growth driver to the Company.
AstraZeneca is an established leader in respiratory care with a 50-year heritage and a growing portfolio of medicines in immune-mediated diseases. The Company is committed to addressing the vast unmet needs of these chronic, often debilitating, diseases with a pipeline and portfolio of inhaled medicines, biologics and new modalities aimed at previously unreachable biologic targets. Our ambition is to deliver life-changing medicines that help eliminate COPD as a leading cause of death, eliminate asthma attacks and achieve clinical remission in immune-mediated diseases.
AstraZeneca in CVRM
Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (CVRM), part of BioPharmaceuticals, forms one of AstraZeneca's main disease areas and is a key growth driver for the Company. By following the science to understand more clearly the underlying links between the heart, kidneys, liver and pancreas, AstraZeneca is investing in a portfolio of medicines for organ protection by slowing or stopping disease progression, and ultimately paving the way towards regenerative therapies. The Company's ambition is to improve and save the lives of millions of people, by better understanding the interconnections between CVRM diseases and targeting the mechanisms that drive them, so we can detect, diagnose and treat people earlier and more effectively.
About AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialization of prescription medicines in Oncology, Rare Diseases and BioPharmaceuticals, including Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory & Immunology. Based in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca's innovative medicines are sold in more than 125 countries and used by millions of patients worldwide. Please visit https://www.astrazeneca-us.com and follow the Company on social media @AstraZeneca.
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1. European Medicines Agency (EMA) [Internet]. Forxiga 5mg/ 10mg film-coated tablets - Summary of product characteristics. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/forxiga-epar-product-information_en.pdf. [Last accessed: 23 September, 2025].
2. Clinicaltrials.gov [Internet]. Study to Evaluate Safety and Efficacy of Dapagliflozin in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Aged 10-24 Years. https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/results/NCT02725593. [Last accessed: 23 September, 2025].
3. Jhund P, et al. Dapagliflozin across the range of ejection fraction in patients with heart failure: a patient-level, pooled meta-analysis of DAPA-HF and DELIVER. Nat Med. 2022; 28(9):1956-1964.
4. FLUMIST® (Influenza Vaccine Live, Intranasal) [package insert]. Wilmington, DE: AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP; 2025.
5. Grohskopf LA, Ferdinands JM, Blanton LH, Broder KR, Loehr J. Prevention and control of seasonal influenza with vaccines: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices - United States, 2024-25 influenza season. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2024;73(5):1-25.
6. Recommendations for Prevention and Control of Influenza in Children, 2025-2026: Policy Statement. Pediatrics. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2025-073620
7. US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FDA approves nasal spray influenza vaccine for self- or caregiver administration. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-nasal-spray-influenza-vaccine-self-or-caregiver-administration. [Last accessed: 23 September, 2025].
8. AstraZeneca. FluMist approved for self-administration in the US. https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2024/flumist-approved-for-self-administration-in-the-us.html. [Last accessed: 23 September, 2025].
9. Bandell A, et al. The role of human factors engineering in the FDA approval process for self-/caregiver-administration of live attenuated influenza vaccine. Presented at: National Immunization Conference, August 12-14, 2024, Atlanta, GA, USA.
10. Burgess TH, et al. Self-administration of intranasal influenza vaccine: immunogenicity and volunteer acceptance. Vaccine. 2015;33(32):3894-3899.doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.06.061