GlaxoSmithKline is laying off employees of its Consumer Healthcare unit as it moves its weight control and smoking cessation groups from Moon, PA, to Parsippany, NJ, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.
The layoffs, of an as-yet undetermined number, have already claimed nine directors, the paper reported, and come as the company is merging its smoking cessation and weight loss franchises into a single “behavioral sciences” unit based in Parsippany.
GSK Consumer Healthcare has around 1,200 US employees, including 500 at its Moon headquarters, 400 in Parsippany and 300 in field sales. Brands include Alli, the OTC weight loss drug, and NicoDerm, Nicorette and Commit for smoking cessation, along with Tums antacids and Aquafresh toothpaste.
Elsewhere in downsizing news, Pharmalot reported Monday that Boehringer Ingelheim is shedding around 200 US neurosciences sales reps following disappointing results on a large study of Aggrenox, which the sales team details for strokes, and the loss of a patent challenge on RLS drug Mirapex.
