Inspire Pharmaceuticals to Cut 20 Jobs

Durham, North Carolina’s Inspire Pharmaceuticals projected 2009 revenue within range of Wall Street expectations, but will cut jobs as it focuses on late-stage development programs and revenue-generating products.

The company expects revenue between $80 million and $90 million in 2009.

Inspire will eliminate about 20 jobs as it reallocates resources to late-stage programs. The positions are mainly being cut from early and preclinical stage research.

The company is in the midst of a late-stage study on the dry eye drug candidate Prolacria; and denufosol tetrasodium to treat cystic fibrosis.