AstraZeneca’s UK research centre prepares to close
pharmafile | November 18, 2011 | News story | Research and Development | AstraZeneca, Charnwood
AstraZeneca has thrown more light on the pending closure of its UK R&D site in Charnwood, saying that 90% of workers losing their jobs have “secured their future”.
The firm announced the closure of the site in Leicestershire in March last year, as part of a company-wide cost-cutting programme to offset patent expiries.
Scientific activity on the 69-acre site near Loughborough, which focused on respiratory and inflammatory disease research, will cease at the end of this month.
“Some staff will remain on site until the end of the year, after which we will continue to maintain and secure the site until its future is determined,” says company spokesman Simon Moore.
Charnwood was also the main development centre for AstraZeneca’s pressurised metered dose inhaler (pMDI) activities, and its work will transfer to Moelndal in Sweden.
Meanwhile activity at its R&D site at Alderley Park in Macclesfield will be stepped up as part of the restructure, with its workforce expanded.
AstraZeneca says 30% of staff employed at Charwood at the time of the closure announcement will remain with the company: 40 are relocating to Sweden, with another 330 planning to work in Cheshire.
Around 35 ex-employees have started their own business locally, with others going into teacher training, education or retirement.
But the search for someone to take over the Charnwood facility has so far proved fruitless. “We have been in discussion with a potential purchaser for a significant period of time regarding ownership and running the facility as an R&D business, but to date no agreement has been reached,” admits Moore.
“We are continuing this dialogue, but our exit date remains the end of the year,” he adds. “The primary challenge for any interested party is a business model which can sustain the costs of running the facility, which as one would imagine, are significant.”
Adam Hill
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