(Reuters) -Merck said on Wednesday it was scrapping research operations in London, citing the UK’s challenging business environment.
The company no longer plans to occupy the Belgrove House site at King’s Cross, which was due to open in 2027. The move will impact about 125 staff members.
The company said it would relocate the research activity to existing sites, primarily in the United States.
Pharmaceutical companies have been shoring up investment in the U.S. amid the Trump administration’s tariff threats and pressure to move more manufacturing to the U.S.
The decision “reflects the challenges of the UK not making meaningful progress towards addressing the lack of investment in the life science industry and the overall undervaluation of innovative medicines and vaccines by successive UK governments,” Merck said in a statement.
(Reporting by Siddhi Mahatole in Bengaluru and Michael Erman in New York; Editing by Anil D’Silva)