AstraZeneca has announced that it plans to close its Avishkar research and development site here later this year but said that it remains committed to maintaining a significant presence in the country. This decision is part of AstraZeneca’s broader global business strategy to simplify its research and development footprint and focus resources on three core therapy areas such as oncology, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, and respiratory, inflammation and autoimmunity, the company said in a statement. The site was working on pharmaceutical development projects and the company said that it will no longer carry out early stage research into neglected tropical diseases, TB and malaria. The healthcare major employs around 1,200 people in India and around 168 of these employees will be affected by this development will be asked to leave by April.