Novartis has begun exclusive talks on the sale of its UK Horsham site to the University of Brighton.
The firm began consulting on the site’s closure in 2013, having already downsized the facility in 2011.
Novartis said then that the UK was hampered by slow take-up of new drugs by the NHS and difficulties in carrying out clinical research.
The axe finally fell on the site last June with the loss of up to 370 jobs following a global review of Novartis’ R&D bases.
It followed the 2011 decision to shut down manufacturing at Horsham, with the loss of 550 jobs, and shift gastrointestinal research to sites in Basel and Cambridge.
Horsham was previously the site of one of the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR), and focused on respiratory research and specifically discovery chemistry, biomarkers and metabolism/pharmacokinetics.
In its place the University of Brighton plans to open a centre for higher education at the West Sussex site that it says could create around 2,250 new jobs and bring £1.7bn of investment to the area over the next 10 years, while providing around 3,500 students places.
PharmaVentures was appointed by Novartis to advise on the sale last year.
Its chief executive Fintan Walton said: “We are delighted that our client Novartis has entered into exclusive negotiations on the potential sale of the Horsham site to University of Brighton.
“This would have a huge positive impact on the region and provides a positive legacy for Novartis too.”