US authorities investigate AZ factory
PHARMACEUTICAL group AstraZeneca said it is co-operating with a US government inquiry into practices at its Macclesfield manufacturing facility.
In its first quarter trading announcement the group said it had received a subpoena 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”.
It added: “AstraZeneca is coordinating its response to the subpoena and intends to cooperate with the inquiry.” No further information was given.
The company, which last month announced plans to move its research and development base from Alderley Edge to Cambridge, said sales fell by a bigger-than-expected 13% in the first quarter as patent expiries took a heavy toll.
The biggest damage was caused by loss of exclusivity on antipyschotic medicine Seroquel and heart drug Atacand in many markets, and on cholesterol fighter Crestor in Canada.
Sales in the quarter were $6.39bn, below market expectations of £6.51bn.
