Dive Brief:
- German drugmaker Boehringer Ingelheim will shut a small molecule discovery unit at its Ridgefield, Connecticut site, cutting 180 jobs in the state plus another 64 nationwide in a restructuring move first reported by Derek Lowe in his blog "In the Pipeline."
- Boehringer is consolidating its small molecule discovery work to two facilities in Biberach, Germany and Vienna, Austria. The restructuring will also mean a closure of those functions at another site in Milan, Italy.
- On the other hand, a new 35-person group focusing on cancer immunology discovery research will be formed next year and will be led out of Ridgefield.
Dive Insight:
The new cuts come less than half a year after Boehringer disclosed it would lay off about 725 employees across the U.S. At that time, the drugmaker said 49 jobs at the Ridgefield site would be affected.
Per the new details, 120 positions in small molecule discovery research at Ridgefield will be cut, plus another 60 in other functions. The company will also shrink its national sales force by 64 jobs.
Boehringer said the decision was aimed at slimming its footprint in discovery research to open up further investment in oncology.
"The creation of a leaner global Discovery Research organization will allow for increased investments in Oncology, with a focus on cancer immunology," the company statement said.
Other pharmas like Bristol-Myers Squibb and Merck & Co have jumped to an early year in immuno-oncology, prompting many to jump into the hot field.
Boehringer, which is better known for its respiratory, cardiovascular and diabetes treatments, currently markets two treatments for lung cancer: Gilotrif (afatinib) and Vargatef (nintedanib).