Merck & Co to Cut Jobs at Newly Acquired Cubist

US drugmaker Merck & Co, the new parent company of Cubist Pharmaceuticals, has informed employees of plans to eliminate the company's 120-employee drug discovery department.

The job cuts will affect about 20% of Cubist's around 600 employees in the US state of Massachusetts.

New Jersey-based Merck completed the acquisition of Cubist on Jan. 22 for $9.5 billion. A spokesperson for the drugs giant told the Boston Business Journal that the "difficult decision" came as Merck was reviewing its assets, which includes a 450-employee research center in Boston and a Boston-based business development center.

The spokesperson said Merck remains committed to the development of antibiotic drugs, adding that an unspecified number of such products still in pre-clinical testing will continue development in other sites, and that all of Cubist's drugs in clinical trials will continue to be developed.

Innovation Pitch

The Start-up Platform for Chemistry & Life Sciences
Discover Tomorrow’s Innovators

The Start-up Platform for Chemistry & Life Sciences

CHEManager Innovation Pitch supports innovation in the chemistry and life sciences start-up scene. The platform allows founders, young entrepreneurs, and start-ups to present their companies to the industry.

Interview

Specialty Chemicals in a Shifting World
Adapting to Tariffs and Strengthening Regional Networks

Specialty Chemicals in a Shifting World

Jennifer Abril, President & CEO of SOCMA, discusses the impact of new tariffs and the importance of regional supply networks in the specialty chemical industry.