Roche - "absolutely no plans"

Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche Monday said it has "absolutely no plans" to withdraw from the U.K.

"Our meeting with the Minister for Health in the U.K. was part of an ongoing dialogue to address factors which affect our long-term stability, such as pricing and the slower uptake of medicines in the U.K," it said in an emailed statement.

Roche added that it will continue to work with the relevant bodies in the U.K. to address any such issues.

In a separate statement, rival Novartis also said it will continue to work closely with U.K. regulators.

U.K. daily The Guardian earlier Monday reported that Roche and Novartis had threatened to relocate from the U.K. due to a dispute over drug pricing.

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