The New York-based drugmaker declined to quantify the number of new job cuts, other than to say that 800 filled or vacant positions would be eliminated by the end of 2008.

Bristol-Myers, girding for generic competition for its blockbuster Plavix blot clot preventer and other medicines, announced in December 2007 it would cut 10 per cent of its workforce, or 4,300 positions, in order to achieve cumulative cost savings of up to US$1.5 billion (S$2.2 billion) by 2010.

The company said in July that it was expanding the cost-savings programme, aiming to reap an additional US$1 billion in cumulative cost savings by 2012 through unspecified actions.

At the time, it did not mention any new job cuts.

But on Tuesday, the company said another 10 per cent of its workforce would have to go in order to achieve the expanded cost reductions.

'As part of the expansion of our productivity initiative announced in July, the goal is another 10 per cent cut in our global workforce, with those headcount reductions continuing through 2010,' company spokesman Sonia Choi said.

Mr David Moskowitz, an analyst with Caris & Co, said most large drugmakers like Bristol-Myers were facing tough times.

'Overall it's just getting tougher in the new environment for pharmaceutical companies with increasing generic competition and insurance companies clamping down on what drug companies can charge,' Mr Moskowitz said.

'As a result, this is the natural consequence.'

Shares of Bristol-Myers were trading at US$22.20 in after-hours activity, from their close of US$22.50 on the New York Stock Exchange. -- THOMSON REUTERS