In a deal announced late last week, a UK based health solutions teams run by Nycomed will transfer to Quintiles while continuing to work with the Swiss drugmaker on a contractual basis.
Nycomed said that the deal, which follows the formations of its UK focused co-marketing agreement with US drugmaker Merck & Co for the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) drug Daxas, is a “win-win” situation.
Melissa Thomas, Nycomed’s UK MD, said: “The team has continued employment in an exciting new healthcare model and will be exposed to new opportunities through global industry leader Quintiles; whereas Nycomed continues to have access to their expertise.”
Quintiles also expects big things from its new employees. Commercial MD Chris Pepler said that: “With bolstered market access capabilities, our customers can rely on Quintiles to help shift the critical conversation about a drug from cost to value among regulators, payers, providers and patients.”
Research Triangle Park cutbacks
In other news, Quintiles has unveiled plans to reduce its 1,400-stong workforce at Research Triangle Park, in North Carolina, US.
Phil Bridges, spokesman for the CRO, told the Triangle Business Journal that the planned layoffs will affect less than 351 people, the number of open jobs that Quintiles advertises in the US.
He explained that the cuts will focus in Quintiles clinical research and were being undertaken to adjust the firm’s global resources and that it was increasing its workforce at other locations.