Genzyme to close UK site
pharmafile | February 24, 2012 | News story | Business Services, Manufacturing and Production, Research and Development, Sales and Marketing | Genzyme, Sanofi, UK, job cuts
Genzyme will close its Cambridge R&D site by the end of the year, with a loss of around 60 jobs.
The shutting of the site is part of an ongoing global restructuring of R&D by Sanofi, who purchased Genzyme for $20 billion last year.
Up to 60 staff could lose their jobs at the Milton Road site in Cambridge, although the firm said it hopes to transfer them to other posts within the business.
A spokesman for Sanofi confirmed to Pharmafocus that the site would close by the end of 2012, although its plant in Haverhill and the base in Oxford will remain.
The spokesman added: “The maximum number of staff impacted is 60. We are actively looking at options to minimise the number of job losses – either through transfer of roles within the Sanofi group, or through assisting impacted employees in finding alternative employment.”
This is yet another blow to UK R&D after Pfizer announced the closure of its research site in Sandwich last year.
The firm has made around 1,500 staff redundant, but has retained 900 more jobs than initially expected, with around 650 expected to stay on the Sandwich site.
Global restructure
Sanofi announced the start of a consultation in November to consolidate all of its R&D centres in four global hubs, which includes Genzyme’s research sites.
This will affect R&D sites in the US, Germany, France and Asia, which could lead to further job losses in these regions.
No final decision has been made as this consultation is just starting, Sanofi said, adding that it would communicate plans for the European R&D hubs following the consultation with its social partners.
Sanofi said it “remains committed to keeping its strategic presence in the UK,” and that Genzyme would continue to invest in clinical trials in the country, and has already invested £17.8 million in trials over the past four years.
Elias Zerhouni, president of global R&D at Sanofi, said: “It has always been my personal conviction that research is most successful when people working on common, high-value projects are based in the same location to the greatest extent possible while continuing to co-operate globally.
“We are therefore proposing to build geographically-focused integrated research hubs in the Boston area, Germany, France and Asia to integrate research and early development capabilities into highly innovative and collaborative environments that are better connected to the reality of science, medicine and the unmet needs of patients.”
Ben Adams
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