AstraZeneca sourcing ingredients in China

AstraZeneca brass got all huffy and defensive last month when news of their plans to outsource manufacturing hit the press. "Misquote" was the operative word. Now, though, the company has agreed to buy a key ingredient in Seroquel, its $3.4 billion schizophrenia drug, from contract manufacturers in China.

According to The Times of London, it's just the first of many active ingredients that will be farmed out to contractors. By restructuring manufacturing over the next three years, AstraZeneca hopes to save $900 million. The company has opened a new sourcing center in China to identify likely manufacturing partners and smooth the transition to outsourcing. AstraZeneca already has a sourcing office in Bangalore, India.

- see the report from The Times of London

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