The plant employs 2,500 people of whom 1,800 are in supply and manufacturing positions. The cuts will be made over the next three years. Despite the losses, the company insists that the site will still be integral to AstraZeneca’s global supply chain.
The UK drug maker faces several important patent expiries, and three late-stage pipeline drug failures have raised concerns about the company, prompting an efficiency drive.
Meanwhile, in Japan, AstraZeneca said that it would not reduce its business in the country, according to Reuters. Japan is AstraZeneca’s second-biggest market.