At least 700 researchers employed at the MSD plant in Oss will keep their jobs, local paper Brabants Dagblad said on Friday, quoting confidential sources.

The paper says Japanese firm Takeda is taking over the R&D department from MSD. Contracts were signed last week.
The paper expects the news to be formally announced next Tuesday. Both firms are listed on the stock exchange and have to meet strict disclosure rules.
Summer
MSD’s parent company Merck said this summer it was closing down a large part of its Oss operations and moving R&D to the US.
In total, 2,175 out of 4,500 jobs would go, including around 1,000 high-end research jobs.
The reorganisation was halted following widespread protests and the threat of legal action.
Takeda is not interested in the production line in Oss which Merck is also closing down, the paper said.