Anglo-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca PLC plans 1,400 job cuts and is closing three plants around Europe as it joins others in the sector tackling increased competition and cost pressures, Reuters reported yesterday. The job cuts announced on Thursday are in addition to the 7,600 announced in July 2007 and will see AstraZeneca closing facilities at Porrino in Spain, Destelbergen in Belgium and Umea in northern Sweden.