Roughly 500 jobs are to go at pharma giant Pfizer’s Kent site.

The roles are to be cut as Pfizer is discontinuing its pharmaceutical sciences small molecule (PSSM) operations at Sandwich in Kent, the company confirmed to Sky News.

It’s part of a company-wide cost-cutting program, Pfizer said.

Affected staff were notified in a brief announcement on Tuesday morning and employee redundancy consultation will take place over the coming 45 days, according to a Pfizer staff member who worked in the PSSM unit.

Staff will attend work and are expected to be given notice of their exit date in January, Sky News understands.

Of the 500 job losses most are scientist roles though administrative roles are also being lost as the PSSM unit makes medicine for clinical trials and helps scale up production of new drugs.

It’s understood the roles will be moved to other PSSM sites in Chennai, India and Connecticut, the United States and staff being made redundant at the Sandwich site will work to transition projects to those locations.

COVID-19: Pfizer vaccine less effective at preventing infection in younger than in older children, study suggests

COVID-19: Pfizer’s experimental pill appears to work against Omicron variant, firm says

COVID vaccines: To jab or not to jab our kids?

Neither vaccines nor COVID-19 drugs such as Paxlovid are being worked on by the discontinued Sandwich operation. Mostly tablets and some intravenous drugs are worked on there, the Pfizer staff member told Sky.

The majority of staff were surprised at the announcement, the staff member said.

While job cuts were expected they thought 20% to 30% of the unit could be culled, rather than the entire PSSM operation in Sandwich.

“Various areas of Pfizer’s global enterprise are making changes to operate more efficiently and effectively,” a Pfizer spokesperson said.

“These changes will be implemented on a rolling basis and will differ area to area.”

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

“More information around this global program will be shared over the coming months and as part of the full year guidance for 2024,” Pfizer added.

Related posts:

FTSE 100 ‘milestone’ as it tops 7,000-mark for first time for more than a year Travel firm wants cheaper COVID tests for UK tourists – and predicts countries on ‘green list’ M&S blames Brexit as it axes 11 French high street stores Tobacco giant Philip Morris clinches shareholder backing for inhaler maker Vectura Chelsea FC sale: Cleveland Cavaliers-owners join Cubs and Griffin bid Royal Mail legal letter prompts union to call off strikes for next two weeks First monthly house price fall for 15 months blamed on ‘mini-budget turmoil’ Average house price continues to rise – but at a slowing rate Tesla delivers record number of cars after price cuts Fuel prices, SEC Newgate’s $100m boost and the power of AI Bulb co-founder raises £100m for battery storage company Field Energy Boss of UK’s biggest supermarket chain quits