AstraZeneca is in rehab - but will it work? - Telegraph The problem, as with any harsh stint in the business equivalent of the Priory, is that before AstraZeneca can enjoy a new lease of life, it will undoubtedly go through severe pain and upheaval. The company has already announced thousands of job losses and yesterday confirmed another 700 roles in the UK would be cut as part of the R&D overhaul. Unions immediately denounced the decision as a "massive blow" to the north west as most of the cut jobs will come from its Alderley Park site, its long-standing hub for R&D. But for AstraZeneca to truly turn itself around and win the battle against expiring patents on its blockbuster drugs, as well as tackle the lack of products in its pipeline, drastic measures are necessary. Analysts have long argued for the company to generate fast sales growth by acquiring other, smaller companies. While Mr Soriot hasn't ruled out the idea, he appears more focused on looking in the company's own medicine cabinet for solutions, rather than believing that takeovers is the sole answer to the company's woes. The new Cambridge hub will facilitate so-called "organic" R&D growth, giving the group's scientists easy access to leading academics and industry networks in the area, as well as help to speed up decision making. It is the clearest sign yet that the company does indeed plan to build a "dramatically different pipeline" by 2016. Relying on the development of the next "wonder drug" is a high risk, but one that Mr Soriot seems increasingly prepared to take.