Swiss drugmaker Roche will combine two production operations in Basel in a move that will cut up to 190 jobs over this year and next, it said on Thursday.
Merging the active substance and small molecule drug production lines reflects the company’s changing portfolio, focusing more on specialised drugs in smaller volumes, it said in a statement.
Small molecule substances are used in the large majority of most traditional drugs.
The company said lower overall capacity will be required as its older drugs, which require significantly higher production volumes, lose patent protection.
Roche employs about 15,000 staff in Switzerland.
By Paul Arnold
Source: Reuters
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