A drugs giant has announced a multi-million-pound investment to fulfil orders for its best-selling antibiotic.

The GSK manufacturing site in Worthing will be upgraded with state-of-the- art equipment.

The plant in Southdownview Way employs more than 950 people making active ingredients and finished medicines which are supplied to 157 countries around the world.

In the past 12 months the site supplied more than 100 million packs of medicines and more than 1,000 tonnes of bulk products.

The firm is to spend £200 million, including funding a a new bulk sterile building and filling line in Worthing.

This will be built for the company’s leading antibiotic medicine Augmentin, which is exported to 150 countries.

Roger Connor, GSK’s president of global manufacturing and supply, said: “The establishment of the Patent Box has transformed how we see the UK as a place to invest. As a result, last year we announced we were building our first new factory in the UK for 40 years.

“The investments announced today are in addi- tion to that and will allow us to harness new technologies that have the potential to deliver a step-change in how we make medicines.

“These new technologies could significantly reduce costs, improve quality and enable the manufacture of medicines in weeks rather than years.”

Jeremy Hunt, health secretary, said: “On the day when we are bringing together the health leaders of the developed world, researchers and pharmaceutical countries to launch the global fight against dementia, it is great to see GSK investing more money and resources into UK life sciences.

“GSK’s decision to invest in the UK shows we are creating the right conditions for global investment, leading to job creation and growth, as well as maintaining the UK’s place as a world leader in innovation.”