role in the discovery of Diflucan whilst working at Pfizer UK. Construction of an £87 million link-road between the Sandwich site and the A299 was approved by HM Government in August 2009. 2010–present On 1 February 2011, Pfizer announced it would be closing the entire research and development facility at Sandwich within 18–24 months, as part of a company-wide plan to exit certain therapeutic areas including allergy and respiratory research, which was based at Sandwich. In its announcement, Pfizer stated that most of the 2,400 workers at the site would be made redundant, although it hoped to transfer several hundred positions to other sites or to Pfizer partner companies. On 4 February 2011, it was announced that the Science and Technology Select Committee would be requesting oral evidence from representatives of Pfizer and the Minister of State for Universities and Science, David Willetts, on the closure of the Sandwich site. In April 2011, Pfizer established Neusentis in Cambridge, intended to operate as a biotech-like unit combining research in pain, sensory disorders, and regenerative medicine. Neusentis acquired biopharmaceutical company Icagen in November 2011. In June 2011, Pfizer renamed the Sandwich site 'Discovery Park' and put it on the market for sale. In the same month, Pfizer announced it would retain 350 jobs at Discovery Park, subsequently increased to 650 in November 2011. In August 2011, it was announced that the Pfizer site at Sandwich would become an enterprise zone with discounted business rates, easier planning rules, and access to superfast broadband. Pfizer sold the freehold to the Discovery Park site to Discovery Park Ltd, a private consortium, in August 2012. As part of the sale, Pfizer agreed to take a lease of around 250,000 sq ft of offices and laboratories at the site. In August 2016, Pfizer acquired a portfolio of anti-infective medicines from AstraZeneca. Operations Discovery Park, Sandwich Around 650 Pfizer employees are based at Discovery Park in Sandwich. Pfizer operations at Discovery Park are focused on the delivery of the company's mid- to late-stage portfolio. Activities at the site include Pharmaceutical Sciences; Medical Regulatory; Business Units; Quality Assurance; and Business Support Functions (Procurement & Operation, HR, Finance, Patents). There is also a pilot plant production and solid and liquid dose manufacturing facility at the site. Neusentis, Cambridge Neusentis was a biotech-like unit based in Cambridge which was focused on research in pain, sensory disorders, regenerative medicine, and auditory and