AstraZeneca chooses Cambridge for global HQ
pharmafile | June 19, 2013 | News story | Research and Development, Sales and Marketing | AstraZeneca, Cambridge, MedImmune
AstraZeneca has chosen the Cambridge Biomedical Campus on the outskirts of the city as a new research and corporate hub.
The £330 million ($500 million) Cambridge facility will become AstraZeneca’s global headquarters, with a workforce of 2,000 by 2016.
The group currently has its corporate headquarters in London, while its main research centre is in Alderley Park, northwest England, will be shut down, with the loss of 700 jobs.
The facility is based on the outskirts of Cambridge – known locally as the Silicon Fen in reference to its high level of innovative firms – by the world famous Addenbrooke’s Hospital.
It will also be near the UK unit of biologics arm MedImmune, previously the Cambridge Antibody Technology centre, which is based around 10 miles south-east outside the city at Granta Park.
The Cambridge Biomedical Campus will be the new UK home for biologics research and protein engineering carried out by MedImmune. It remains unclear, however, why the firm did not decide to join MedImmune at Granta Park.
The new site will also become the company’s largest centre for oncology research as well as hosting scientists focused on cardiovascular and metabolic, respiratory, inflammation and autoimmune diseases and conditions of the central nervous system.
Work carried out in Cambridge will include medicinal chemistry and high-throughput screening, and the facility will accommodate a number of AstraZeneca’s pre-clinical research capabilities.
Other global functions will join the research and development teams at the new facility and Cambridge will become AstraZeneca’s corporate headquarters. AstraZeneca will occupy approximately 11 acres of the 70 acre campus, which is situated two miles from central Cambridge and its university colleges.
Pascal Soriot, chief executive of AstraZeneca, said: “Cambridge competes on the global stage as a respected innovation hub for life sciences and our choice of site puts us at the heart of this important ecosystem, providing valuable collaboration opportunities.
“Moving to the Cambridge Biomedical Campus means our people will be able to rub shoulders with some of the world’s best scientists and clinicians carrying out some of the world’s leading research – that’s a really exciting prospect.
“Today’s announcement also confirms AstraZeneca’s long-standing commitment to the UK and increases the chances that the next generation of medicines will be discovered here in Britain.”
David Willetts MP, minister for universities and science at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, said: “AstraZeneca’s investment is excellent news for the UK life sciences industry. It strengthens our global competitiveness and supports our aim of making the UK the best place in the world for the discovery and commercialisation of medical innovations. These are key themes of the Government’s life sciences strategy.”
Ben Adams
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