AstraZeneca Pauses £200 Million UK Research Site Expansion in Cambridge
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – AstraZeneca has suspended a planned £200 million expansion of its Cambridge research facility in eastern England.
This decision marks another setback for foreign investment in the United Kingdom following recent withdrawals by major pharmaceutical firms, AFP reported.
The company previously abandoned plans for a £450 million vaccine manufacturing plant in northwest England earlier this year.
US pharmaceutical group Merck also recently cancelled its $1.4 billion research center project in Britain, citing inadequate sector investment and unfavorable drug pricing.
An AstraZeneca spokesperson confirmed the pause in a brief statement, noting that management continually reassesses the company’s investment requirements.
The spokesperson declined to provide additional comments regarding the decision or future plans.
This development poses a significant challenge for Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labor government as it attempts to revitalize the UK’s stagnant economy.
Critics attribute the decline in foreign investment to high taxation levels and insufficient subsidies across multiple industrial sectors.
Global pharmaceutical companies face substantial pressure from US President Donald Trump to increase American investments or face severe tariffs on overseas production.
AstraZeneca committed in July to invest $50 billion in the United States by 2030, including a multi-billion-dollar manufacturing facility in Virginia.
