GSK announced on Tuesday it will move more than 1,000 scientists to its new research and development centre on the Cambridge biomedical campus. The move is part of a £1.9bn cost-cutting programme that includes a £400m investment in UK life sciences over three years.
Site closures and upgrades
The company will close its R&D site in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, by 2029. It will upgrade its R&D laboratories at nearby Ware and transfer some employees there. GSK’s new Cambridge site, being developed by warehouse builder Prologis, spans 300,000 sq ft (28,000 sq metres) and is located on one of Europe’s largest biomedical campuses. More than 22,000 life sciences workers, over 470 biopharma, biotech and AI companies, and more than a million patients are based or treated there annually.
CEO’s statement
Luke Miels, GSK’s chief executive, said: “This investment will accelerate our R&D and help us deliver new, competitive products. It integrates GSK further into one of the world’s leading centres of knowledge and demonstrates the attractiveness of the UK’s life sciences ecosystem.” The site will feature tech-enabled labs to support research in oncology, respiratory, hepatology, vaccines, and HIV.
Golden triangle focus
The move brings more scientists to the UK’s “golden triangle” of Cambridge, Oxford, and London, where GSK said its teams would have access to a “world-class ecosystem of biomedical research, patient care and academia”.
Political reaction
The investment was welcomed by Andy Burnham, who described it as a “vote of confidence in British business”. The prime minister said it was “a boost for homegrown innovation and expertise. And a step towards more people getting access to new medicines and cutting-edge treatments that will change lives for the better.”
AstraZeneca comparison
GSK’s announcement follows rival AstraZeneca’s surprise £300m investment in the UK, including a £200m expansion in Cambridge. AstraZeneca had paused large-scale UK projects in 2025 after becoming disillusioned with the business environment.
Cost savings and trials
GSK intends to launch 20 phase 3 trials, double the number announced earlier this year. The company declined to share global redundancy numbers but Miels told journalists that about 45% of planned savings would come from cutting support services, procurement improvements, and process simplification. A further 40% would come from moving resources away from established treatments to focus on new drugs. The closure of the Stevenage site comes five years after GSK announced plans to spend £400m extending that campus.
Market reaction
Shares in GSK rose by 6% after the announcement, making it one of the biggest risers on the London stock market on Tuesday.
