Our strategic R&D centres
Our R&D centres
We have five global strategic R&D centres that are the driving force of our R&D strategy, leveraging cutting edge science and technology to deliver potentially life-changing medicines.
5
50+
15,200
Cambridge
Our new Discovery Centre, also known as The DISC at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus (CBC) is AstraZeneca’s largest research and development centre in the UK, with more than 2,000 people working across all our therapy areas, drug discovery platforms, development and commercialisation.
The power of our physical proximity to our neighbours in academia, healthcare and industry creates a porous environment where ideas and talent can be shared to drive innovation. Already the scale of our collaboration with others in the city is considerable. We have well over 200 partnerships as part of the Cambridge ecosystem, and hundreds more in the wider UK life sciences cluster.
Gaithersburg
A unique, innovative and inclusive modern campus, just a short drive away from Washington, DC, our Gaithersburg facility is home to a diverse community of more than 4,000 people, with the capacity to discover, develop, manufacture, and commercialise potentially life-changing medicines – all on one site.
With a team of world-renowned scientists, cutting-edge technology, and a collaborative, interactive and cross-functional scientific culture, it’s a great place to work and an exciting place to be. Our outstanding facilities and amenities promote wellness and a positive work-life balance, helping us attract and retain the best talent, while contributing to our business’s values-led and sustainable approach to R&D.
Gothenburg
With more than 2,600 employees from 70 countries, our vibrant Gothenburg site helps support the entire life-cycle of AstraZeneca medicines, from drug discovery and clinical trials, through to global commercialisation and product maintenance. In 2017, we launched Lab4Life, creating an open and truly shared research environment that goes beyond the usual laboratory model. By breaking down traditional lab walls, automating processes and driving state of-the-art IT, we are creating novel ways of working to speed up delivery of new medicines.
Looking to the future, Gothenburg has initiated the creation of a new, global cluster for health and life sciences, as part of the GoCo Health Innovation City project, which includes the Gothenburg BioVentureHub. There are currently more than 30 external companies and one academic group co-locating with AstraZeneca at the heart of the Gothenburg site. By facilitating interactions between drug, device, diagnostics and digital health companies, we are creating a dynamic, creative and fertile environment for helping unlock the power of what science can do.
Boston
Located in Kendall Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts, at the heart of the greater Boston life science ecosystem, our new R&D centre will support approximately 1,500 R&D, commercial and corporate colleagues in a vibrant new space, designed to encourage collaboration and innovation.
The site, scheduled for completion in 2026, will bring together our Boston area AstraZeneca and Alexion teams and contribute to our aim of building bridges across our networks. Optimised for both internal and external collaborations, our Boston centre will play a large part in our next chapter of success to show the powerful results of what science can do when we come together to collaborate and learn from each other.
Shanghai
Shanghai is home to our fifth strategic R&D centre and where over half of our 1,000-plus R&D employees in China are based. Spanning research, clinical development and life-cycle management, the Shanghai R&D centre is leading and accelerating the delivery of life-changing medicines across AstraZeneca’s main therapy areas, helping to meet significant unmet medical needs in China and globally.
The centre also plays a critical role in bringing China innovation to the world. We are actively collaborating with innovation networks and academic centres across China, identifying and accessing cutting-edge scientific discoveries and ground-breaking assets from the local science community and innovators.
Veeva ID: Z4-72164
Date of preparation: February 2025
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