AstraZeneca opens new R&D base

Abstract

Still riding high from its success in providing millions of vaccines against COVID-19, AstraZeneca has notched another major milestone with the official opening of its new R&D headquarters in Cambridge, England. Named the Discovery Centre, the ring-shaped glass-and-concrete building contains 16 massive labs—totaling 19,000 m 2 of lab space, enough to accommodate over 2,200 scientists. AstraZeneca will move 2,100 of its UK-based scientists, most of whom are currently scattered around Cambridge, into the center next year. The center cost $1.3 billion to build. When fully outfitted, it will feature advanced robotics, high-throughput screening, and artificial intelligence technologies to support the development of next-generation medicines, including those based on nucleotides, antibody-drug conjugates, and cell therapies. Its design features include ground-source heat pumps and rainwater harvesting, which the company claims will make it the world’s most sustainable drug R&D center. The center’s location on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus means AstraZeneca scientists will