AstraZeneca, which pledged to provide its COVID-19 vaccine at no profit for the duration of the pandemic, said Thursday that losses in the first half of the year on its vaccine shaved 4 cents off the pharmaceutical giant’s earnings per share. Sales of Vaxzevria, the company’s COVID-19 vaccine, generated $1.17 billion in revenue during the first six months of the year, including $894 million in the second quarter, according to AstraZeneca’s earnings report, released on July 29. But while these revenues narrowed AstraZeneca’s hit from offering the COVID-19 vaccine at no profit, the company said losses on Vaxzevria were the main factor that shaved seven percentage points off its Reported Gross Profit Margin, which fell to 73.5 percent in the first half of the year. “The performance predominantly reflected the significant impact of the equitable supply, at no profit to AstraZeneca, of the pandemic COVID-19 vaccine, together with an increasing impact from profit-sharing …