Pfizer staff made redundant by the pharmaceutical giant have now been taken on by a new firm.

In total, Chinese company Asymchem Laboratories will create up to 100 jobs by the end of 2024 having set up its first base in Europe at the site formerly used by Pfizer at Discovery Park in Sandwich.

Senior management at Asymchem were among those formally cutting the inaugural ribbon at the site last Friday.

It has taken over the former Pfizer small molecule facilities and now employs 72 people on-site, 69 of whom are ex-Pfizer employees.

They had been made redundant last year and some had been out of work for months before being taken on by Asymchem.

Additional hires are planned through to the end of the year as the plant ramps up operations.

Kent County Council leader Roger Gough (Con), who was also at the opening ceremony, said: “We believe that Asymchem will be taking on about 100 staff who previously worked with Pfizer.

“This is a very significant day not just for this site but for Kent.

“KCC has been working very closely with local partners, with Discovery Park itself, to ensure that there is a good future for this site and what we see now is a major vote of confidence in it.”

Asymchem is another pharmaceutical company and is using Discovery Park as its new European development and pilot manufacturing site.

Dr Hao Hong, chairman, founder, and chief executive of Asymchem, led the ribbon cutting ceremony.

He said: “This is an exciting milestone for Asymchem to meet growing demand for pharma services and supply.

“We are continuing a long legacy of manufacturing excellence at Discovery Park, with the location in Kent being ideal for reaching our target markets in Europe.”

Mayer Schreiber, chief executive of Discovery Park, said: “We are thrilled to see Asymchem join our thriving community at Discovery Park.

“We believe Kent is the ideal location for a European HQ, providing fast connections to both Europe and the capital, along with all important space to grow.

“Many of the team members at Asymchem have been working at Discovery Park for decades, and we’re delighted to continue to support and champion the talent here.

“Within Discovery Park we have approximately 3,500 people working on-site and a big chunk of those jobs are high-paid, for example well-qualified scientists.

“Also there is a ripple effect because all companies here need support services whether it's accountants, advisors and lawyers.”

Asymchem was founded in 1997 and employs more than 9,700 people worldwide, with operations also in the United States as well as China.

Discovery Park has been a major centre for science for almost 70 years and is home to 160-plus companies and organisations.

These include Canterbury Christ Church University and the American pharmaceutical and healthcare corporation Viatris.

Pfizer continues to have a presence there, albeit smaller.

Last November it announced it was to cut some 500 jobs and close its experimental research division from its operation at the Discovery Park.

In May it was revealed that Asymchem would take its place there.