GlaxoSmithKline cuts 650 jobs nationwide, including 100 in Research Triangle Park

Sept. 05--RALEIGH -- Global pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, one of the Triangle's largest employers, said Wednesday it plans to eliminate 100 jobs in Research Triangle Park as part of a cost-cutting strategy that will eliminate 650 jobs in the United States.

The UK-based drug maker notified the N.C. Department of Commerce on Wednesday that it plans to cut 100 positions at its RTP site and 450 in its field sales force in all 50 states. The 450 sales jobs are being reported to the state commerce agency because they report to RTP-based executive Jack Bailey.

Additionally, GSK is cutting 100 positions at its Philadelphia office.

Employees at all locations were notified Wednesday. Most of the positions will be vacated by November.

The company said it plans to reinvest the savings from the job cuts into research-and-development work.

"The downsizing is intended to contribute to a major cost savings and improve the operational performance within certain sections of our Commercial and Commercial support operations," GSK said in its Worker Adjustment Retraining Notification, or WARN, letter to the N.C. Department of Commerce.

The cuts in RTP and Philadelphia will be in back-office functions, the company said.

GSK currently employs about 900 at its manufacturing facility in Zebulon and 2,000 at its RTP campus. No jobs in Zebulon will be cut as part of this restructuring. The company employs 15,000 people in the United States.

Those affected will be offered severance benefits, subsidized health insurance and outplacement support, according to the WARN notice.

GSK also issued a statement saying the corporate restructuring was announced July 25 in a quarterly earnings release.

"The savings from this restructuring will be fully reinvested in R&D and to support commercialization of new products, which will fuel innovation and our future growth," GSK said.

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