Roche may evaluate cost-cutting measures at a management

meeting this week that could potentially involve job cuts in its pharmaceuticals division, according to a report in Sonntag which quoted an unnamed source.

The newspaper reported that in addition to eliminating sales positions, the company could also reduce R&D, production and administration staff in its drugs unit. A source familiar with the matter said "this will not only concern a few hundred people, but many more. And the job cuts will not be made in one single country, but on a worldwide scale."

Roche spokesman Alexander Klauser confirmed that Roche would hold its monthly management meeting early this week, but no decision would be made on potential workforce reductions, saying "it is too early to speculate on potential job cuts." He added that the company is "always working to improve productivity and will continue to do so.