Teva fires 65 employees at California plant

The cuts at the Irvine plant will include scientists, chemists, and inspectors.

The newspaper added that cuts will take effect on October 29 and scientists, chemists, and inspectors. Teva had an estimated 500 workers in Irvine before the filing. It cut 156 workers in Irvine last year as a result of an earlier year-long halt to production after it stopped making propofol, a sedative that gained notoriety in the death of Michael Jackson.

Teva acquired the Irvine plant in 2003 through the acquisition of generic drug maker Sicor Inc.

"The New York Times" reported today that, in 2009, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cited Teva for several violations at its injectable drug plant in Irvine, including for the failure to catch bacterial contamination of propofol, before it left the factory. The citation was part of a crackdown after Margaret Hamburg became FDA commissioner. Teva said it spent $375 million for improvements and reopened its factory in Irvine, but it that has not yet resumed full production.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on October 18, 2012

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