AstraZeneca's Covid jab has won approval for use as a booster or third jab in the European Union, the British drugs giant confirmed Monday.

The European Medicines Agency, the EU's drugs watchdog, had revealed the news on Thursday.

"AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine, Vaxzevria, has been granted approval in the EU by the EMA as a third dose in adults," the company said in a statement.

"Healthcare professionals can now use Vaxzevria as a third dose booster in patients previously given a primary vaccine schedule of either Vaxzevria or an EU-approved mRNA Covid-19 ."

The EMA had concluded there was a "substantial body of evidence demonstrating an increased immune response after a third dose booster with Vaxzevria", it added.

AstraZeneca rapidly developed its successful Covid-19 jab alongside the University of Oxford during the pandemic.

The group announced last month that Vaxzevria sales jumped fourfold to $1.15 billion in the first quarter, despite a 40-percent decline in Europe where the pandemic has been curbed by vaccinations.

But AstraZeneca also cautioned in April that Covid revenues including Vaxzevria would drop this year as the health crisis recedes.

© 2022 AFP