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AstraZeneca’s Soriot: UK’s Pharma Policies Have Already Hit Investment

Life Science Strategy Not Being Supported

 
• By Andrew McConaghie

Pascal Soriot claims the UK is undermining its life sciences sector, and the government needs to support market access and clinical trials in the country or face losing out to competing nations.

AZ courtyard
AstraZeneca opened its new R&D and global HQ in Cambridge, UK in 2021, but has now warned the country could lose out on further investment. • Source: AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot has added his voice to complaints about the UK government’s pharma industry policies, and said profit controls, uncompetitive tax rates and problems with market access and clinical trials would force companies to invest elsewhere.

Soriot’s decision to speak out is particularly damning as AstraZeneca is the second most valuable UK-headquartered company, with a market cap currently just under $200bn (only behind oil and gas giant

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