Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca on March 2 said it would shut research and development sites in Britain and Sweden and reduce U.S. operations as part of previously announced plans to axe 8,000 jobs.
The company had said in January said that it was looking to cut 8,000 jobs worldwide by 2014, including 3,500 R&D positions.
On March 2 it said it would close an R&D center in Leicestershire, central England, and a smaller site in Cambridge, close to London.
It added that it would shut a research site in Lund, Sweden, and reduce activities at a facility in Wilmington, Delaware.
"AstraZeneca today shared with its employees further details of proposals designed to improve the productivity of its global research and development organization," the group said.
"The proposed changes, first outlined at the end of January, include focusing research efforts on a smaller number of disease areas and consolidating activities onto a reduced global footprint through the merger of some sites. Some of our sites will close," it added.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2010
