AstraZeneca Pauses £200m Cambridge Expansion Amid UK Pharma Concerns

AstraZeneca has halted a £200m expansion of its Cambridge research site, pausing its full £650m UK investment plan.
The project was expected to create 1,000 jobs, following a scrapped £450m vaccine facility in Merseyside earlier this year.
AstraZeneca cited regular reassessment of investment needs and declined further comment on the pause.
In contrast, the company plans to invest $50bn in the US by 2030, funding new facilities and lab expansions across several states.
The UK pharmaceutical sector faced a tough week, with Merck scrapping a £1bn London research centre and laying off 125 scientists.
Sir John Bell warned other major drugmakers may stop investing in the UK due to current conditions.
Sanofi urged the government to implement a clear life sciences strategy before resuming substantial investment.
Eli Lilly also paused its £279m London lab project, citing uncertainties in the UK environment.
The sector calls for NHS pricing reforms, including reducing the clawback rate from nearly 23% to levels seen in Europe.