AstraZeneca is to reduce its staff, shut operations, and cease research into several diseases as part of a wide ranging restructuring, unveiled at the start of March. The company will close some research centres in the United Kingdom, Sweden, and the United States and is set to cut 3500 posts in research and development by 2014. It will stop all future research into 10 diseases, including acid reflux, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder.  It warned that patent expiries in the next few years could put sharp pressure on sales

http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/340/mar08_2/c1365