Glaxo Cuts R&D Jobs, Eyes Restructuring

GlaxoSmithKline is looking to shake up its approach to R&D. Patrick Vallance, head of drug discovery, told the BioIndustry Association's Biofinance & Bioinnovate Europe 2008 conference in London last week that GSK wants to split up its research programs into even smaller, focused groups to become "more biotech-like." Several years ago, GSK restructured its research organization into eight autonomous groups it calls centers of excellence for drug discovery. Any new change in GSK's research structure would come as the company is cutting R&D jobs. Last week, major job cuts were announced at GSK's R&D sites in Research Triangle Park, N.C.; Upper Providence, Pa.; Upper Merion, Pa.; Harlow, England; and Verona, Italy. In total, the company plans to shed some 2% of its 17,000 global R&D workforce.