British drugmaker GSK is set to announce sweeping job cuts as part of a £1.9bn cost-cutting programme, funding a £400m investment in UK life sciences over three years, including a new research and development centre in Cambridge. The company aims to accelerate drug development under new chief executive Luke Miels.
Move to Cambridge and site closures
On Tuesday, GSK confirmed it will relocate more than 1,000 scientists to its new site on the Cambridge biomedical campus. The company will close its R&D site in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, by 2029, while upgrading laboratories at nearby Ware and moving some employees there.
GSK’s new 300,000 sq ft (28,000 sq metre) Cambridge facility, developed by warehouse builder Prologis, is located on one of Europe’s largest biomedical campuses. The campus hosts over 22,000 life sciences workers, more than 470 biopharma, biotech and AI companies, and treats over a million patients annually.
CEO statement and investment details
Luke Miels, GSK chief executive, said: “This investment will accelerate our R&D and help us deliver new, competitive products. It integrates GSK further into one of the world’s leading centres of knowledge and demonstrates the attractiveness of the UK’s life sciences ecosystem.”
The site will feature state-of-the-art, tech-enabled labs focusing on oncology, respiratory, hepatology, vaccines and HIV research. The move strengthens GSK’s presence in the UK’s “golden triangle” of Cambridge, Oxford and London, providing access to a world-class ecosystem of biomedical research, patient care and academia.
Government and political reaction
The investment was welcomed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who described it as “a boost for homegrown innovation and expertise. And a step towards more people getting access to new medicines and cutting-edge treatments that will change lives for the better.”
The announcement follows rival AstraZeneca’s surprise £300m UK investment, including a £200m expansion in Cambridge, after previously pausing large-scale projects due to business environment concerns.
Cost-cutting and job impact
GSK intends to launch 20 phase 3 trials—double the number announced earlier this year—as part of its push for faster drug development. The company declined to specify global redundancy numbers but Miels told journalists that about 45% of planned savings would come from cutting support services, improving procurement and simplifying processes. A further 40% would come from shifting resources from established treatments to new drugs.
The Stevenage closure comes five years after GSK announced £400m plans to extend its campus there. Shares in GSK rose 6% following the announcement, making it one of the biggest risers on the London stock market.
