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news.British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is planning to establish a new global centre for vaccines research and development (R&D) in Rockville, Maryland, to further strengthen and expand its vaccines presence in the US.
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The new vaccines R&D center in Maryland will be the company’s third, in addition to those in Rixensart, Belgium and Siena, Italy.
It will expand the company’s efforts to discover and develop new vaccines across a range of public health threats, including those relevant to the US.
GSK Vaccines president Luc Debruyne said: "Following the acquisition of Novartis’s global vaccines business and in recognition of the vaccines knowledge and expertise in the US, we are pleased to expand our US presence with the creation of a world-class vaccines R&D centre.
"This will drive innovation, and enhance our capabilities for new vaccine discoveries that protect the US and public health around the world."
In March 2015, GSK completed the $20bn three-part asset swap deal with Switzerland-based pharmaceutical firm Novartis, as part of efforts to dispose of non-core businesses and focus on bolstering core areas.
The new centre will consolidate vaccines R&D activities currently conducted at the company’s other US sites in Philadelphia and Cambridge.
The company said that major late stage development program, as well as vaccine discovery and new platform technology development will be led from the Rockville site.
Operations for vaccines are expected to be initiated at the new Rockville site as early as September 2015.