HEALTH

Syntex to Cut Staff: The company, acquired last year by Roche Pharmaceuticals of Switzerland, has announced plans to reduce its Palo Alto work force by about 800. In its announcement, Syntex Corp. said laid-off employees will receive severance pay and benefits based on length of service. All of the layoffs are expected by year’s end. Syntex, which will change its name to Roche Bioscience this summer, will be left with about 1,000 employees, a spokeswoman said.