Sanofi to cut 900 r&d jobs in France
No plans to move plants or reduce industrial sites in the country
French drugmaker Sanofi has announced plans to cut around 900 jobs over the next three years, fewer than the 2,500 predicted in July by trade unions, as part of the reorganisation of its r&d activities in France.
The firm said it would communicate the plan for the ‘adaptation of its activities’ in the country before beginning a consultation process next month.
It added that establishing ‘new momentum for success’ in its research activities would be necessary to ensure the Group's sustainability.
Sanofi said it aims to achieve the reduction in headcount through early retirements, voluntary redundancies and redeployment of staff within the Group.
The firm added that it did not have any plans to move any of its plants or reduce the number of industrial sites in France.
The future of its cancer research centre in Toulouse, however, remains uncertain. Sanofi said it had found potential stakeholders to maintain operations at the site and that it would strive to find ‘concrete solutions’ in the coming months.
The firm said it plans to continue development activities at Vitry/Alfrotville and Chilly-Mazarin/Longjumeau and research work will be increased.
Sanofi said its Montpellier plant would ‘progressively evolve towards a strategic centre focused on development’, and its Strasbourg site would maintain ‘its momentum of a collaborative platform open to academic research and biotechs’.
The firm will also create a global centre of excellence in infectious diseases in Lyon.
Sanofi said it also intends to improve the performance of its industrial units to ensure their ability to compete in increasingly competitive vaccine markets, and streamline support functions to improve their efficiency. No details as to how this would be achieved have been disclosed.