AstraZeneca Pauses £200m Cambridge Expansion Amid UK Pharma Setbacks

AstraZeneca has halted a £200m expansion of its Cambridge research site, stalling its entire £650m UK investment plan.
The Cambridge project, expected to create 1,000 jobs, follows the scrapped £450m vaccine facility in Merseyside.
An AstraZeneca spokesperson said the expansion is paused after reassessing the company’s investment needs.
In contrast, AstraZeneca plans $50bn in US investments by 2030, funding facilities in Virginia, Maryland, and Texas.
The decision adds to a tough week for UK pharma, with Merck canceling a £1bn London research centre and cutting 125 jobs.
Sir John Bell warned other major pharma companies are likely to halt UK investments without stronger incentives.
Sanofi called for a “proper plan from the Treasury” to make the UK competitive for life sciences.
Eli Lilly also paused its £279m London gateway lab project, delaying research collaboration and innovation.
Industry groups are pushing for NHS pricing reform and a lower clawback rate to align with European levels.