Merck Plans R&D Job Cuts at Three Sites

July 14, 2016

Merck & Co. said it plans to lay off R&D workers at three East Coast sites, as the drugmaker reorganizes its research units as well as focuses on new microbiome research.

The cuts will affect employees at sites in Kenilworth, NJ; Rahway, NJ; and North Wales, PA. The lay offs will lead to the loss of up to 360 jobs -- less than 10%.

Merck plans to create a new “exploratory science” group in Cambridge, MA, that will focus on emerging research, including the role of the microbiome in human health.

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