Cuts in sight for the French pharmaceutical group Sanofi. The company launches a restructuring plan that also involves Italy, where the multinational employs over 3,000 people. In particular, the Sanofi Research Center in Milan, inaugurated in 2008, is expected to close shortly.
"With this choice, the work of 63 researchers and 20 external collaborators is put at risk, only in Milan", protests the Milanese CGIL which for today has organized a garrison in front of the Sanofi headquarters in viale Sbodio 2, in the Lambrate area, from 8.30 at 12.30.
The union speaks of "a 'tears and blood' social plan which will lead to the reduction of 15% of the total staff, as well as a rethinking of the network of scientific representatives of the drug by 2012". The company confirms to Pharmakronos the "inevitable" decision to close the Milan research center "in the coming months". But he specifies that he continues his commitment to research in Italy, and that he is working to find solutions to offer to workers. The CGIL recalls that "since 2005, the year of the last merger between Sanofi and Aventis, three social plans have already been implemented in our country with the loss of many jobs".
The union observes that "it is not a company in crisis", also considering that "the international rating agencies estimate that Sanofi will take first place among Big Pharma next year". But "the company intends to reduce research by reorganizing, or rather closing, several research centers in Europe, choosing to finance only research centers that will connect to large universities, with particular commitment in China".
With the closure of the Milan Centre, "a center of excellence in Italian pharmaceutical research is being canceled – claims the CGIL – We cannot forget how the same Italian researchers have produced, in the last 5 years, as many as 9 European and world patents".
Paola Olgiati – December 2, 2011 – PharmaKronos
