Takeda Pharmaceuticals to Layoff 1,600

Japanese pharmaceutical company Takeda had announced plans to lay off around 1,600 workers, including 500 from their Illinois locations in Deerfield and Lake Forest.

The company is undergoing a global restructuring and intends to reduce their North American home office and field sales employees by about 28%. Additionally, about 20% of the workers from the Takeda Global Research and Development Center Inc. in the U.S. are targeted to be laid off.

“This will position us for success in 2010 and beyond so we can continue the important work of research and development in order to deliver important new treatments for unmet patient needs,” said Kara M. Hoeger, a local spokeswoman for Takeda.