GSK, which is currently embroiled in a dispute with activist investor Elliott, said it expects to select a private-sector developer for the campus later this year. Work on the project, which is also being backed by the UK government, is expected to begin in 2022. Including the new complex, the drugmaker said it hopes to create up to 5,000 jobs in the next five to 10 years.

"Our goal is for Stevenage to emerge as the top destination for medical and scientific research by the end of the decade," said GSK senior executive Tony Wood. The English site is one of GSK's two global R&D hubs and also houses the UK's largest cell and gene therapy cluster.

Author: Dede Williams, Freelance Journalist