Wyeth to eliminate additional 1,200 positions

MADISON, N.J. Wyeth has announced plans to eliminate 2 percent of its worldwide jobs, which equals about 1,200 positions, according to published reports. This is in addition to the 1,200 sales jobs the company eliminated last month.

Back in late January, it was reported that the company had planned on cutting up to 5,000 jobs over the next three years.

Company spokesman Doug Petkus said the latest job reductions will “affect all facilities worldwide” and “cut across a variety of job types.” Petkus declined to say how many workers would be affected in Massachusetts, but the company started to notify employees last Friday.

Petkus said the company is making the cuts to reduce expenses in response to declining revenue from its bestselling heartburn drug Protonix, which now faces competition from generic versions.

The company employees about 50,000 people.