Eli Lilly and Company plans to reduce it global research and development (R&D) workforce by 200 positions as part of a voluntary reallocation program the company is offering to many of its R&D employees.

According to a company statement Lilly said, “Our target is to reduce about 200 positions globally, which represents less than 3% of our global R&D workforce. Lilly is focusing its investment in new R&D capabilities to ensure portfolio sustainability. We plan to increase our investment and hire in strategic areas, including molecule-making capabilities, immunology, and Alzheimer’s disease, across our US research sites later this year.”

This move follows a previous announcement from the company in January 2017 that it was planning to cut 485 sales positions across its operations in the US, including its US Bio-Medicines Business Unit located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Lilly decided to cut the sales positions as the result of a failed late-stage clinical trial for its Alzheimer’s disease drug candidate, solanezemab, for which Lilly will no longer pursue regulatory submissions.

Source: Eli Lilly and Company