Relations between Big Pharma and the UK government are under growing strain. Just last week, Eli Lilly CEO Dave Ricks labelled Britain as “probably the worst country in Europe” for drug pricing. The remarks, made to the FT, followed a series of investment pullbacks by major pharmaceutical firms, who claim the UK remains an uncompetitive place to sell medicines.
Earlier this month, drugmaker AstraZeneca said it was pausing a planned £200 million expansion of its Cambridge research site, after axing a vaccine project in Liverpool this year. Also in September, Merck — known as MSD in Europe — said it was scrapping research operations in London to relocate the work to existing sites, primarily in the US. Following suit, Eli Lilly has placed its planned London Gateway Lab on hold. The firm said the project, part of a £279mn investment, has been paused while it “awaits more clarity around the UK life sciences environment”.
