AstraZeneca announces latest phase of UK GBP1 billion investment programme

18-Mar-2004

AstraZeneca has announced two major investments in the UK with the imminent opening of major new facilities in Alderley Park, Macclesfield, Cheshire, and additional investment to support the development of its research site in Charnwood, Loughborough, Leicestershire. These latest developments will mean that AstraZeneca's investment in the UK (from 1999 and planned until 2006), will have approached a potential ?1 billion, with the creation of well over 550 new science related jobs.

Representing an investment of over GBP 58 million, Alderley Park's new Centre for Advanced Lead Discovery will help AstraZeneca's search for new and better medicines. It will include the opening of innovative compound management and high throughput screening facilities to assist with the drug discovery process. As one of nine AstraZeneca Research & Development (R&D) centres worldwide, Alderley Park is the Company's largest site, currently employing over 4,800 people. The new Centre for Advanced Lead Discovery will be officially inaugurated at Alderley Park on 24th March and will provide world-class facilities for around 150 scientists and support staff.

Another ?16 million investment by AstraZeneca at its Charnwood site will enable scientists to enhance their early discovery and safety assessment work in a range of different disease areas, providing a state of the art building for up to 75 scientists in the future. AstraZeneca currently employs over 1,200 people at the Charnwood site and work on the new facilities will begin in July 2004, with completion scheduled for early 2006.

Sir Tom McKillop, Chief Executive of AstraZeneca, said: "Although AstraZeneca is a global company, the UK is a crucial base for our R&D and we continue to invest in British science. By 2006, we will have invested a further GBP 1 billion and created over 550 new science related jobs."

The latest investments at the Alderley Park and Charnwood sites form part of a major GBP 1 billion UK investment programme by AstraZeneca over an eight year period. The Company has committed over GBP 350 million in capital expenditure investments for the North West and East Midlands (Alderley Park, Macclesfield, Charnwood and Avlon, near Bristol) over the past five years. In addition, the company has spent over GBP 310 million in smaller projects to upgrade, improve and refresh its existing facilities and infrastructure in the UK. A further GBP 325 million expenditure on capital and modernisation projects is planned over the next three years.

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