Bosses hide from animal protesters

ALMOST 5,000 directors of medical research firms have sought government protection from militant animal rights activists.

Campaigners had been using public records kept at Companies House to track down names and addresses of targets.

The introduction of new legislation two years ago allowed those most at risk of attack to request anonymity.

It emerged yesterday that there have been 4,792 successful applications to be placed on Companies House's 'secure directors' register'.

AstraZeneca confirmed that all of its board members are on the restricted list.

The drugs giant yesterday unveiled plans to move research and development jobs to the US and Asia - partly due to the actions of militant animal rights activists.

Finance director Jon Symonds said the migration will be gradual and owes much to the changing structure of the company, but he admitted: 'The animal rights situation is an important determinant of investment in the UK.'

Directors of GlaxoSmithKline, Britain's biggest drugs firm, have been targeted because of their links with the animal testing laboratory Huntingdon Life Sciences.

Huntingdon's managing director was beaten up by animal rights fanatics.

A spokesman for Companies House said that the number of directors applying to be placed on the restricted list had 'increased significantly in the past year'.

He added: 'That probably has a lot to do with an awareness of the new legislation and the fact animal rights activists are widening their range of targets.'

AZ emerged from the pain of seeing its potential blockbuster Exanta rejected by the US to post a robust set of third-quarter figures.

The company still does not know whether it is going re-apply for American regulatory clearance for the blood-thinning agent.

Third- quarter profits rose 14% to £695m.