ASTRA ZENECA MACC PLANT UNDER INVESTIGATION BY US AUTHORITIES

Local pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca is helping authorities in America with an investigation into its Macclesfield plant.

The drugs group`s base in Macclesfield is its second largest manufacturing site and its European centre for packing.

In an update to the London Stock Exchange today with its first quarter results, the company said: “On 28 March 2013, AstraZeneca received a subpoena duces tecum (to produce evidence) from the US Attorney`s Office in Boston, Massachusetts, seeking documents and records related to manufacturing, quality or good manufacturing practices at its Macclesfield facility in the UK.

“AstraZeneca is coordinating its response to the subpoena and intends to cooperate with the inquiry.”

The company employs about 2,500 staff at the base in Macclesfield and a further 2,900 at its R&D facility in nearby Alderley Park.

Last month, AstraZeneca announced plans to end research work at the Alderley Park base with a large portion of 1,600 posts to be relocated to a new centre in Cambridge and the rest to Macclesfield.

AstraZeneca said at least 700 non-R&D roles would remain at Alderley Park.

In its first quarter results for 2013 announced today, the company said revenue was down to $6.38bn (