UP TO 80 jobs are to be lost at a Wrexham pharmaceutical factory in the latest blow to the town's manufacturing industry.

Ipsen Biopharm announced the job losses earlier this week following a drop in demand for its products.

The firm is cutting the workforce at its Wrexham Industrial Estate site as it halts the manufacture of a medicine for the treatment of haemophilia called Hyate:C.

The move could lead to the loss of about 80 jobs at the Wrexham site and another 17 at a smaller production plant in Norfolk.

Company bosses said only one production line was being closed at the Wrexham site and say 200 remaining jobs were safe.

The company is blaming the decision to stop making the product on difficulties in obtaining suitable raw material - it is of animal origin - and on a switch by doctors to other haemophilia treatments.

The company said in a statement: 'Despite continued efforts and having explored a large number of potential solutions, it has proved impossible to consistently manufacture a product that meets the required quality standards.

'A further consideration in this decision is that, over the last eight years, clinicians worldwide have adapted their treatment practice and alternative products have become available for patients with haemophilia.

'As a result of this, the demand for Hyate:C has been very limited.'

Wrexham general manager Mike Harvey said: 'We will be consulting fully with staff on this situation and deploying as many people as possible to other areas of our manufacturing operation.

'In addition, we have retained the services of a specialist outplacement consultancy to help people find other jobs.'

The Wrexham site has benefited from more than £20m of investment in the last five years, mainly in new production facilities for its other products, such as treat-ments for neuro-muscular disorders.

The Wrexham plant is part of a worldwide group, with offices in London and Paris, with sales of £500m last year.

The news comes as the latest blow to Wrexham's manufacturing industry following a string of job cuts over the past 12 months, with redundancies at Hoya Lens, Brother, Tetra Pak and Sharp.

More recently, it was announced that more than 60 jobs were to be axed at CP Pharmaceuticals Ltd and 80 jobs lost at the Georgia Pacific firm, both based on Wrexham Industrial Estate.