The new centre will focus on the development of new biological and large-molecule therapies, with biologics CMC capabilities and project leadership to support the Orion biologics research projects which are moving towards clinical phase. 

“Biologics are the fastest growing segment in pharma, representing huge opportunities for new innovative treatments. Cambridge is home to Europe’s largest biomedical research hub, and establishing our own Biologics R&D Centre in the area gives us access to a pool of world-class scientific talent and opportunities for collaboration with high-profile universities. I am thrilled about this continued internationalization of Orion’s R&D to build the best expertise for the future,” says Outi Vaarala, Executive Vice President of Innovative Medicines and Research & Development at Orion. 

Orion’s R&D organization

Orion’s R&D organization currently consists of approximately 400 employees, with major sites located in Espoo and Turku in Finland and smaller clinical development hubs in Nottingham, UK and New York City, USA. 

A statutory negotiation process will start in Finland, which will impact approximately 20 employees working in Orion’s Protein and Antibody Engineering and Characterization teams in Turku.

To ensure an organizational design that optimally supports Orion’s biologics R&D in future, a statutory negotiation process will start in Finland, which will impact approximately 20 employees working in Orion’s Protein and Antibody Engineering and Characterization teams in Turku. Other employees working in Orion R&D are not impacted. 

The estimated preliminary redundancy need is a maximum of 15 employees.

The company has on Friday, 7 March issued a negotiation proposal, as laid down in the Finnish Act on Co-operation within Undertakings, on the reorganization of operations and possible personnel reductions. The operational changes and reorganizations are anticipated to result in changes to responsibilities, transfers to new roles, transfers to different locations, changes to the terms of employment, and possibly end of employment for some if no alternatives are found. The estimated preliminary redundancy need is a maximum of 15 employees. Should redundancies occur, they would take place during 2025, states the company.