GSK expands in Scotland

Pharmaceutical firm GSK is expanding a facility in Scotland to boost the production of antibiotics.

The site has at Irvine, North Ayrshire has received a grant from the Scottish government to aid the expansion, which comes at a time when demand for antibiotics in developing and emerging nations is on the rise.

Sir Andrew Witty, chief executive of GSK, commented: "This secures the long-term future of the site. The product that we produce here is exported to 140 countries.

“The impact of this new facility will be felt here and abroad, with more antibiotics being produced for people in countries where this sort of medicine is desperately needed.”

First minister Nicola Sturgeon added that the drug manufactured in Scotland is the most-used drug in India, which is a "huge achievement".

She stated that GSK is extremely important to the Scottish economy, while the wider life sciences sector is also a key contributor.