US drugmaker Merck scraps £1bn London research centre and cuts 125 science jobs
1. Merck cancels £1bn UK research centre, laying off 125 scientists. 2. UK life sciences face investment challenges; Merck shifts focus globally. 3. Research in the UK underperformed against global trends since 2018. 4. UK ranks poorly for clinical trials and access to new medicines. 5. Government aims to be a leading life sciences economy by 2030.