Elimination of 225 jobs in Montreal and another 50 in Pennsylvania has been planned by MDS Inc. the Toronto-based life sciences group. This decision came as it plans sale of non-core businesses and the shifting of MDS's head office from Toronto to Ottawa. MDS Nordion unit intends to focus on it. Nordion produces isotopes used widely in medical imaging.

On Wednesday, MDS Inc. said it has agreed to sell its Pharma Services Early Stage business for $45-million in equity interests and cash. MDS expects Net cash advance of about $7-million is expected by MDS from the sale. It also traded its Analytical Technologies business for $650-million in cash last week.

CEO Steve West said, "The agreements to divest the MDS Pharma Services units are the last major milestone in the company's repositioning. We want to build MDS Nordion over the long term. While the sale agreements have been struck in a difficult environment, we believe we are doing what's necessary to allow us to focus on building MDS Nordion".

The lost revenue from the closed reactors has been suffered by MDS, and to compensate its losses, it has been selling its non-isotope properties. According to the company it lost $135-million ($1.12 a share) in fiscal 2009 in January.