Hundreds of jobs are to be safeguarded at the doomed Pfizer plant in Sandwich.

The pharmaceuticals giant has announced some 350 staff will be kept on after the planned closure of the plant at the end of 2012.

Under the original announcement in February, as many as 2,400 jobs were under threat. Now hundreds could be saved, so staff can work on products already in the pipeline.

Pfizer hopes its presence will attract new investors onto the site, and will continue to actively market it as Discovery Park.

A statement said: "Pfizer's intent, as announced in February, was to secure an external partner that would assume responsibility for some R&D (research and development) capabilities and colleagues at the site.

"After a rigorous diligence process, Pfizer determined that retaining a portion of its pharmaceutical sciences operation at Sandwich presents the best solution at this time for Pfizer's business."

But there's also a change at the top.

Dr. Ruth McKernan will leave Sandwich as site head to take up her role as chief scientific officer at a Cambridge site, with Dr. Annette Doherty becoming site director in Sandwich.

Paul Carter, chairman of the Sandwich Economic Development Task Force and Leader of Kent County Council, welcomed the decision.

He said: "Securing 350 jobs on site by Pfizer is a step in the right direction and is positive news.

"We must now work with Pfizer and their marketing agent CBRE to secure further investors and businesses on-site, and encourage inward investment and occupancy in a whole array of business activity."