Global News Select

AstraZeneca Employees Detained in China Over Alleged Data, Drug-Import Violations — Update

By Helena Smolak

 

AstraZeneca said Chinese authorities detained some of its employees in Shenzhen for alleged violations of data-privacy laws and importing an unapproved cancer drug.

A spokesman for the drugmaker said five current and former employees were detained. The news was first reported by Bloomberg.

"We are aware a small number of our employees in China are under investigation and we have no further information to share at this point," a spokesman for the Anglo-Swedish pharma company said.

Shenzhen police didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

AstraZeneca employs 16,000 staff in China out of 90,000 globally. China represented 13% of the company's revenue last year, making it the pharma major with the greatest sales exposure to the country, according to FactSet data.

 

Write to Helena Smolak at helena.smolak@wsj.com

 

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 05, 2024 07:14 ET (11:14 GMT)

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