Astra Zeneca and Sanofi-Aventis announced job cuts today that will take place in the UK and Germany.
AstraZeneca says it plans to cut more than 300 jobs at its research and development hub at Alderley Park near Wilmslow England, 60 more than unions had feared.
The company, one of the biggest employers in Cheshire, said last week that it was examining its global R&D structure, prompting trade unions to claim that 244 jobs were likely to go at Alderley Park - its largest site for research - which employs more than 3,500. The majority of those affected at Alderley Park work on R&D into respiratory conditions, while there will be a smaller number of job losses from the cardio-vascular team.
Sanofi Aventis plans to eliminate 380 sales and marketing jobs in Germany, one-fifth of the total, because of difficult market conditions, a company spokesperson said. Sanofi Aventis currently employs 1,900 sales and marketing personnel in Germany. The company has 10,000 employees in the country.
The cuts will be made through a voluntary departure plan and retirements, the spokesperson said, citing difficulties in obtaining reimbursements, competition from generic drugs, and falling prices as reasons for the cuts.
The spokesman declined to comment on German press reports which said Sanofi Aventis's sales in Germany fell 8 per cent last year.
Pharmaceutical Technology Europe published a list last month called the Pharma Exec 50 for 2008. To qualify for the list, companies had to have more than $510 billion in sales. Unlike other lists of this ilk, it is easy to read, visually appealing and mentions each company’s top selling drugs and their annual R &D spending. It is definitely worth a read by people who need or like to stay abreast of the life sciences industry. And for a change, the list was compiled by a European rather than an American publication. Not that there is anything wrong with that!
