Roche said the new research model would be organized around five centers combining development, regulatory approval and marketing for each of its drug lines.

The cancer drugs unit will be based in Nutley, New Jersey, the headquarters of the company's U.S. subsidiary, Hoffmann-La Roche Inc.

Research focused on virology and inflammation will be done in Palo Alto, California, home of U.S. biotechnology company Genentech Inc., which is majority-owned by Roche.

The development of drugs for metabolic diseases, like diabetes, and central nervous systems, will be located in Basel.