Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth, announced that all operations at its Marietta, Pennsylvania, facility will be discontinued effective December 2004. The site was one of the primary manufacturing facilities for the company, focusing primarily on biologics and vaccines.

Most recently, the site was primarily involved in manufacturing an investigational influenza vaccine. Final production of clinical trial materials for this vaccine will be completed later this year, at which time the facility will no longer be required for production. Wyeth's business partner will conduct future commercial production of this vaccine.

The announcement will result in a workforce reduction of approximately 440 employees. The company has notified its personnel at the site on March 24 and has outlined available severance packages as well as potential employment opportunities at other Wyeth sites. Workforce reductions are scheduled to begin at the site in mid-April.

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, the pharmaceutical division of Wyeth, has leading products in the areas of women's health care, cardiovascular disease, central nervous system, inflammation, haemophilia, oncology, and vaccines.