Glaxo 'unmoved by animal rights activists'

Shareholders and the board of GlaxoSmithKline insisted today they would not be deterred by animal rights extremists who targeted the pharmaceutical giant last week.

Glaxo chairman Sir Christopher Gent and chief executive Jean-Pierre Garnier hit out at anti-vivisection fanatics after shareholders were sent threatening letters last week.

And shareholders joined the chorus of disapproval and defiance today at the company’s annual meeting branding the perpetrators “terrorists” and “evil”.

It came after around 50 shareholders were last week sent letters threatening to post their details on a website unless they dumped their shares.

The campaign was over the firm’s continued use of research group Huntingdon Life Sciences which has long been a target for activists.

Sir Christopher opened today’s meeting by condemning the “cowardly and despicable actions” of the extremists.

Mr Garnier added that without animal testing thousands of “life-saving drugs” would not be available today.

“Those products would not be around if we were following the lead set by animal rights extremists,” he said.

And the company was backed by shareholders who lined up to condemn the threats.

One shareholder targeted by the extremists said: “I have been a recipient of one of these evil letters from these evil people.”