A MAJOR pharmaceutical global group is to strengthen its presence in the UK by developing its current sites at High Wycombe and Milton Keynes.

The Pharmacia Corporation was formed in April this year, following a merger of Pharmacia and Upjohn with Monsanto and its G D Searle unit.

As part of the merger integration process, Pharmacia has decided to continue to use both its current sites, in Lane End Road and at Milton Keynes. Monsanto is a separate division, now based in Cambridge.

Neither site is large enough to meet the company's needs so Pharmacia plans to make the Milton Keynes site the headquarters for the UK, housing finance, sales and marketing, while the High Wycombe offices will concentrate on regional and corporate functions.

Keith Kryzwicki, UK company president, said: 'I am delighted that, going forward, Pharmacia is strengthening its presence in the UK.

'Our people are the key to our future success. Both High Wycombe and Milton Keynes will be of crucial strategic importance to our future business.'

Other corporate offices in the UK, including the Middle Eastern and North African offices in London, will eventually be consolidated at High Wycombe, as well as European clinical development management.

Pharmacia, which currently has 200 staff at its Lane End Road site, is now looking at detailed plans and the cost of the work involved.

The company, which has an annual investment of $2 billion globally in pharmaceutical research and development, sees the UK as one of its most important markets for its business and in recognition of its importance has designated it, together with France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US, as core countries.

G D Searle, founded in 1888, has been in High Wycombe since 1956 and moved to its present offices in 1970. It was the first company to market a female contraceptive pill in the UK.