GSK to cut 3,000 jobs

GlaxoSmithKline is to announce more than 3,000 job cuts at its European and US operations as a result of a shift in focus to emerging markets

It is reported that GlaxoSmithKline is to announce more than 3,000 job cuts at its European and US operations as a result of a shift in focus from stagnant Western markets to China in particular, and emerging markets in Asia and Latin America.

GSK aims to reduce £1.7bn in annual costs by the end of next year and re-focus efforts on research and development. Demand for the company's Pandremix vaccine against H1N1 has been lower than anticipated and sales of GSK's H1N1 drug Relenza have also fallen short.

Analysts have said that the group is too reliant on aging patents – the company has been hit most recently by generic versions of its herpes treatment Valtrex after expiry of its US patent.