The biggest pharmaceutical company in the world by sales - Pfizer Inc - not having much in pipeline to show for its $7.5 Billion R&D budget, is laying off 800 researchers, some of the St. Louis' research and development scientists inclusive.

The other areas in which the cuts are planned are La Jolla, Calif.; Groton, Conn.; and Sandwich, England. Though the new cuts will be no more than a mere dent in Pfizer's total 83,400 work-force, they certainly hit at its significant means of support - it is the labs wherein lies the responsibility for discovering productive new drugs.

A Pfizer spokesman, Rick Chambers, said the company began informing scientists and technicians on Tuesday that their jobs are being cut as a part of the company attempts of boosting efficiencies. Specifically, Pfizer is preparing itself for the 2011 termination of its exclusive patent on its top-selling cholesterol fighter Lipitor, which accounts for nearly 25% of Pfizer's approximate $48 billion in annual revenue.

Chambers said the job cuts have to be undertaken, in order to realign the research and development functions of the company so as to focus on treatments for oncology, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, pain management, diabetes and inflammation.

According to Martin Mackay, head of Pfizer's research and development, the New York drug maker will be laying off 5-8% of its total number of 10,000 research employees, by the end of the year. Other than its latest round of job cuts, the company has laid off 14,600 jobs in the past two years.