Glaxo sells Italian R&D facility to Aptuit

GlaxoSmithKline PLC says it has finalized a deal to sell its research operations in Italy to Aptuit Inc.

Glaxo hasn't revealed financial terms for the deal disclosed on Thursday. Some 500 staff at a facility in Verona will be transferred from Glaxo to Aptuit.

The London-based drug maker will also continue to receive research & development services from Aptuit.

Glaxo had announced in February that it planned to stop discovery research in select neurosciences areas such as pain and depression _ impacting on research at the Italian facility.