01:20 PM EDT, 09/12/2025 (MT Newswires) -- AstraZeneca ( AZN ) has paused a planned 200 million pounds ($271.3 million) investment in its Cambridge research hub, a project first announced in March 2024 that was expected to create 1,000 jobs, Reuters reported Friday.

The decision follows AstraZeneca's ( AZN ) January cancellation of a 450 million pounds vaccine plant in northern England and comes the same week Merck ( MRK ) scrapped plans for a London research center, both citing challenging UK conditions, the report said.

The pause adds to concerns about Britain's ability to attract and retain major life sciences investments, even with Cambridge as a leading European biotech hub, Reuters noted.

AstraZeneca ( AZN ) didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from MT Newswires.

Shares of AstraZeneca ( AZN ) were down more than 2% in recent trading.

(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

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