AstraZeneca acquisition continues growth

Expansion of biotech firm MedImmune is continuing since it was acquired by pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca in 2007.

The company is set for rapid growth with plans to employ 800 new workers this year in the research and development and clinical sectors.

MedImmune says the move will increase the size of the firm by a quarter and that many of the employees will be hired from the UK and other European countries.

Spokeswoman Perla Copernik said: “Recruiting is a very important effort for the company this year. It’s an important investment.”

As well as growth in personnel, the company is also expanding physically with construction underway of a 710,000 sq ft manufacturing unit.

The facility will serve to increase MedImmune’s cell culture production as well as creating an extra 225 jobs.

Since the merger of the two firms in 2007, MedImmune has reportedly doubled its pipeline and seen its productivity targets rise considerably.