Sanofi-Aventis May Place Alnwick Research Center Up for Sale

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Researched by Protel Associates Limited in alliance with Industrial Info Europe (Galway, Ireland)-- The Sanofi-aventis (NYSE:SNY) (Paris, France) facility at Alnwick in Northumberland, Northwest England has been one of the company's prime research and development (R&D) sites for some years. In the recent past various projects have been carried out to modernise the facilities and the most recent of these projects, the Laboratory and Research Centre (LARC) is now nearing completion with the Engineering House, The Austin Company Limited (Rickmansworth, United Kingdom) currently involved in validation and commissioning aspects. It is expected to be fully complete by October 2009.

Unfortunately the project seems to have been over taken by recent market downturn and the Sanofi-aventis senior management has decided, following a recent review of research operations, that the Alnwick site is now surplus to its requirements and will be sold. We understand that there are several interested parties and that these may include a management buy-out.

The facility is a major pharmaceutical research centre and includes facilities for all aspects of pharmaceuticals research even including a radio-pharmacy in the latest extension.

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