Drugs giant to axe another 8,000 jobs

Another 8,000 jobs are to be slashed across AstraZeneca’s global operations under a sweeping job cuts programme that has already seen 12,600 roles axed, the drugs giant said today.

The jobs will go over the next four years across global functions, including sales and marketing, business infrastructure, research and development (R&D) and the supply chain.

Astra warned there may be some closures of research and development sites or facilities as part of a company reorganisation which aims to deliver cost savings of around $1.8bn (€1.28bn) by 2014.

The group has a number of operations across the UK, including its head office in Macclesfield, Cheshire, and sites in Alderley Park, Loughborough, Bristol, Luton and London.