AstraZeneca Pauses £200m Cambridge Expansion Amid UK Pharma Struggles

AstraZeneca has halted its planned £200m Cambridge research site expansion, leaving its £650m UK investment package stalled.
The project was expected to create 1,000 jobs, but AstraZeneca cited internal reassessments and gave no further details.
In January, the firm abandoned a £450m investment in Merseyside after government support was cut.
The pause contrasts with AstraZeneca’s US pledge to invest $50bn by 2030 in manufacturing and research facilities.
The UK pharmaceutical industry faced further blows this week, with Merck scrapping a £1bn London research centre.
Eli Lilly also paused a £279m gateway lab in London, while Sanofi warned the UK was no longer attractive for investment.
Experts say stalled investments highlight tensions over NHS drug pricing and lack of a competitive life sciences strategy.