18 January 2012 - Japanese drugmaker Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TYO:4502) announced plans on Wednesday to shed 2,800 jobs in Europe and the US and to consolidate its R&D facilities as part of efforts to restructure its international operations following last year's acquisition of Switzerland's Nycomed.

The Osaka-based company expects the move to help save some JPY200bn (USD2.6bn/EUR2bn) over five years. A total 2,100 positions will be cut in Europe and 700 employees - mostly within Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America - will be laid off in the US by the end of fiscal 2015.

The restructuring will cost some JPY70bn during the period 2011-2015 and is expected to have a JPY35bn impact on the company's revenue during the fiscal year ending March 2012.

(JPY100 = USD1.303/EUR1.015)