Britain's pharmaceutical industry has been dealt a major blow after drugs giant Pfizer announced the closure of its leading UK research centre and more than 2,000 job cuts.
The US group said it was shutting its renowned research and development (R&D) facility at Sandwich, Kent and would make the majority of the site's 2,400 staff redundant over the next 18 months to two years.
Medical experts said the move was "devastating" for British science, coming as the latest in a series of UK R&D job cuts as the industry moves to slash costs.
The Royal Society of Chemistry said the science sector was witnessing the "haemorrhaging of the lifeblood of the British pharmaceuticals industry".
Trade union Unite also reacted with dismay at Pfizer's decision, which it said will see the withdrawal of Sandwich's biggest employer.
Pfizer has a history at Sandwich dating back more than 50 years and the Kent R&D site lays claim to some of the world's biggest medical discoveries, including blockbuster drug Viagra.
The Royal Society of Chemistry estimated that nearly 6,000 jobs have gone over the last 12 months from UK drugs and science firms.
Richard Pike, the society's chief executive, said: "This rips out a major part of the UK's scientific infrastructure."
Business Secretary Vince Cable said Pfizer's decision was "extremely disappointing" and confirmed he was forming a task force to mitigate the impact on local jobs.
A spokeswoman for Pfizer said: "While Pfizer has announced its intention to exit from the research and development site at Sandwich, given the talented and strong work force and excellent facilities, we are working actively to find partnership opportunities which can utilise the facilities and buildings, in an effort to preserve jobs and activity on the site."
