[Andrii Yalanskyi/Adobe Stock]
The first seven and a half months of 2026 brought some early signs of rebalancing. BioSpace counted 26 biopharma companies making or planning cuts in the second quarter, down 59% from 64 a year earlier. The number of workers affected declined 5% to 8,383. Large-scale cuts continued at Takeda, Viatris and BioNTech. U.S. payroll employment in biotechnology R&D was 3.1% above year-ago levels in June, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing employment was up 1.0%. BioSpace also reported that biotech R&D postings rose 42% year over year in June and that live postings across its site increased 15% year over year in the second quarter.
Corporate restructuring dominated the 2026 headcount cuts, driving 25 of the 84 events described in the table below while impacting 9,952 of the 14,681 positions listed. Next in line was pipeline reprioritization or strategic reviews, which ranked second by frequency with 20 events and 380 jobs. Rounding out the top reasons for cuts were site and manufacturing consolidation, accountung for six events and 2,774 jobs. Meanwhile, M&A integration and FDA or regulatory setbacks each appeared in eight announcements:
| Date | Company | Cut | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2026 | |||
| Aug. 18 | EMD SeronoMerck KGaA | 20 | RestructuringA Massachusetts WARN notice discloses 20 layoffs at the EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, effective Oct. 16-30. |
| Aug. 17 | SanofiBlueprint Medicines | 229 | M&AAbout a year after closing its $9.5 billion acquisition of Blueprint Medicines, Sanofi disclosed in a Massachusetts WARN notice that it will cut 229 Blueprint employees in Cambridge, with separations running from Oct. 9, 2026 to June 25, 2027. |
| Aug. 13 | Aardvark Therapeutics | ~12† | FDAAardvark disclosed in second quarter filings that June layoffs left it with 28 employees and 27 consultants as of July 31, down from 40 employees and 35 consultants at the end of April. |
| Aug. 13 | MindMaze TherapeuticsRelief Therapeutics | A handful | M&AFollowing the reverse merger that formed MindMaze, the company disposed of Relief’s legacy Swiss operations, which employed about 25 people. |
| Aug. 11 | Schrodinger | Undisclosed | PipelineSchrodinger confirmed targeted workforce reductions concentrated in the team supporting internal clinical development, tied to a strategic shift away from independent internal clinical work and toward development and commercialization partnerships. |
| Aug. 11 | Aura Biosciences | ~23† | PipelineAura cut about 20% of staff and reshuffled its C-suite to concentrate on ocular oncology, minimizing investment in its bladder cancer program. |
| Aug. 10 | Arpeggio Biosciences | ~13† | Wind-downCEO Joey Azofeifa disclosed on LinkedIn that Arpeggio decided in July to wind down after the company could not separate its lead NRF2 degrader’s efficacy from an off-target liability. |
| Aug. 9 | aTyr Pharma | ~30† | PipelineaTyr is cutting about 60% of its workforce to fund a second attempt at a Phase 3 win for efzofitimod in interstitial lung disease, leaving roughly 20 employees. |
| Aug. 7 | Ensoma | Undisclosed | PipelineEnsoma cut staff for the second time in under a year and paused work on all programs other than lead asset EN-374 while it pursues additional financing. |
| Aug. 6 | Aurora Therapeutics | Several | PipelineAurora deprioritized its lead phenylketonuria gene editing program, citing competition in the field, and let go of several team members. |
| Aug. 5 | Emergent BioSolutions | 93 | RestructuringEmergent cut 93 employees across the company and eliminated 21 open positions, closed wet laboratories at its Gaithersburg base, and eliminated the chief medical officer and head of R&D role held by Simon Lowry. |
| Aug. 4 | Pfizer | Undisclosed | RestructuringPfizer added $2.5 billion to its existing cost program, concentrated in technology and simplification work across commercial, R&D and manufacturing. |
| Aug. 4 | Lisata Therapeutics | ~15† | CashAfter a planned merger with cancer imaging company Kuva Labs collapsed, Lisata cut about 72% of its full-time staff, including EVP of R&D and chief medical officer Kristen Buck, and sued Kuva for breach of the merger agreement, seeking damages and a $2 million termination fee. |
| Jul 2026 | |||
| Jul. 29 | GSK | Undisclosed | RestructuringGSK disclosed a $2.5 billion, three-year restructuring that includes global job cuts. |
| Jul. 24 | Amgen | ~40 | RestructuringAmgen confirmed roughly 40 role eliminations tied to organizational changes. The company declined to identify affected functions or sites. |
| Jul. 23 | Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals | ~10† | RestructuringClinuvel is cutting 10% to 20% of its global workforce and moving its headquarters from Australia to New York at the start of 2027 to concentrate resources on U.S. regulatory engagement and commercialization. |
| Jul. 13 | EMD SeronoMerck KGaA | ~70 | RestructuringUp to 70 remote R&D employees living more than 50 miles from Billerica may leave with severance if they decline relocation support under a three-day office requirement. |
| Jul. 7 | Novartis | 322 | RestructuringA New Jersey WARN filing disclosed 322 additional layoffs at Novartis’ East Hanover headquarters, effective Oct. 2. |
| Jul. 6 | BioNTechJPT Peptide Technologies | ~140 | PipelineBioNTech plans to close JPT Peptide Technologies in Berlin as it concentrates resources on its late-stage oncology pipeline. |
| Jun 2026 | |||
| Jun. 29 | BioCryst Pharmaceuticals | Undisclosed | PipelineBioCryst will end internal discovery programs and close its Birmingham Discovery Center of Excellence while shifting toward external innovation. |
| Jun. 26 | BiogenApellis Pharmaceuticals | Small number | M&ABiogen paused or ended most legacy Apellis preclinical programs and eliminated a small number of related research roles after the acquisition. |
| Jun. 24 | ADC Therapeutics | ~32,† | PipelineThe reorganization followed completion of key Zynlonta trials and a safety setback; the company projected $10 million in annual savings. |
| Jun. 23 | Tourmaline BioNovartis | 60 | M&AA New York WARN notice disclosed 60 layoffs tied to closure of Tourmaline’s headquarters after the Novartis acquisition. |
| Jun. 23 | Sangamo Therapeutics | ~51 | Wind-downSangamo eliminated 51 roles and retained 77 employees while pursuing Chapter 11 asset sales to Eli Lilly and Astellas. |
| Jun. 15 | enGene | ~41,† | FDACutting half of staff and parting with several execs to stay nimble until 12-mo data and an FDA BLA meeting; approval filing expected this year |
| Jun. 15 | Neumora Therapeutics | ~34 | ClinicalSaving ~$10M/yr ($2M one-time); refocusing on Alzheimer’s agitation, schizophrenia and obesity |
| Jun. 11 | Teva Pharmaceuticals | 250 | RestructuringAPI workforce reduction in Israel planned over the next two years. |
| Jun. 11 | GenentechRoche | 103 | RestructuringGenentech confirmed 103 positions across gRED and other parts of the organization will be eliminated, with layoffs effective July 29. |
| Jun. 4 | Fulcrum Therapeutics | 48 | FDAScrapped only clinical-stage program after hardline FDA stance; searching for strategic alternatives |
| May 2026 | |||
| May. 27 | Johnson & Johnson | 86 | RestructuringThe current New Jersey WARN archive lists 86 employees affected in New Brunswick effective Aug. 21. May coverage cited 56. |
| May. 22 | Novartis | 76 | RestructuringEast Hanover workforce reduction disclosed through a New Jersey WARN notice. |
| May. 22 | AbbVie | 85 | RestructuringIrvine workforce reduction disclosed through a California WARN notice. |
| May. 15 | Novartis | Undisclosed | RestructuringMore limited move after a series of consolidation moves, centered on the research arm |
| May. 13 | Valneva | ~67† | CommercialStreamlining global ops amid an emerging adverse trend in travel-vaccine uptake |
| May. 13 | Takeda | ~4,500 | Restructuring2026 ‘transformation program’: centralize corporate functions, cut management layers; ~4,500 roles in FY2026 |
| May. 13 | Amicus TherapeuticsBioMarin | 58 | M&APrinceton roles affected during integration following BioMarin’s acquisition of Amicus. |
| May. 8 | Novartis | 220 | SitePlanned closure of the Wehr production site. |
| May. 8 | Gilead SciencesGilead / Arcellx | 192 | M&APost-acquisition integration affected 108 roles in Redwood City and 84 in Rockville. |
| May. 6 | BioNTech | ~1,860 | SiteManufacturing and operating footprint changes across Germany and Singapore. |
| Apr 2026 | |||
| Apr. 30 | Autolus Therapeutics | Undisclosed | CashCEO Christian Itin frames cuts as enhancing margins and supporting scalable growth |
| Apr. 28 | Passage Bio | Undisclosed | FDALaunched strategic review after tough FDA feedback on path forward |
| Apr. 28 | Novartis | 60 | RestructuringEast Hanover workforce reduction disclosed through a New Jersey WARN notice. |
| Apr. 24 | Tempero Bio | Undisclosed | Wind-downCompany shut down after a serious adverse event in a phase 2 alcohol-use-disorder trial. |
| Apr. 21 | Replimune | 224 | FDAFallout from another FDA rejection of lead melanoma candidate |
| Apr. 20 | Bristol Myers Squibb | 206 | RestructuringLawrenceville workforce reduction disclosed through a New Jersey WARN notice. |
| Apr. 14 | Astellas Pharma | ~50 | SiteClosing Seattle site of its stem cell therapy unit; ~55 impacted |
| Apr. 3 | Gilead Sciences | 51 | RestructuringFoster City headquarters workforce reduction disclosed through a California WARN notice. |
| Apr. 1 | Novo Nordisk | ~400 | SiteManufacturing-site restructuring reduced the Bloomington workforce. |
| Mar 2026 | |||
| Mar. 31 | Novartis | 114 | RestructuringEast Hanover workforce reduction disclosed through a New Jersey WARN notice. |
| Mar. 31 | Lipella Pharmaceuticals | Undisclosed | Wind-downFiled for bankruptcy |
| Mar. 31 | Iterum Therapeutics | Undisclosed | CashWinding down operations amid limited cash during expensive commercialization |
| Mar. 31 | IO Biotech | Undisclosed | FDAClosing for good; terminating all employees and execs after FDA spurned cancer vax |
| Mar. 17 | Gossamer Bio | Undisclosed | ClinicalEvaluating strategic options after Ph3 PAH miss |
| Mar. 17 | Bicycle Therapeutics | 86 | PipelineShelving lead anti-cancer conjugate to halve yearly operating costs |
| Mar. 12 | Vistagen Therapeutics | Undisclosed | ClinicalDoubling down on lead despite Dec Ph3 failure; funding another ongoing Ph3 |
| Mar. 12 | Inovio | 22 | PipelineEliminated roles not supporting INO-3107 approval; headcount 134 -> 112 |
| Mar. 11 | Amgen | 22 | M&AHorizon Therapeutics roles (acquired 2023, $27.8B); aligning ops with research strategy |
| Mar. 10 | f5 Therapeutics | Undisclosed | Wind-downShuttered after six years; up to ~10 employees |
| Mar. 6 | Vertex Pharmaceuticals | 20 | Restructuring‘Functional reorganization’; overall MA workforce still growing |
| Mar. 5 | AlltrnaFlagship Pioneering | 19 | PipelinePositioning for clinic; follows ~10% cut last August |
| Mar. 3 | Theravance Biopharma | Undisclosed | ClinicalShutting down R&D after Ph3 failure; focusing commercial on approved COPD drug; phased over 2 quarters |
| Mar. 3 | EveryOne Medicines | Undisclosed | FDAClosed doors after FDA bespoke gene-therapy pathway fell below expectations |
| Mar. 2 | BioAtla | Undisclosed | PipelineMulling sale of remaining assets |
| February 2026 | |||
| Feb. 27 | Merck & Co. | 154 | Site147 at vaccine plant + 7 others amid vaccine pressures; WARN alert |
| Feb. 27 | Disc Medicine | 30 | FDAPrimarily commercial roles and supporting functions; completed in Q2 |
| Feb. 26 | Viatris | 3200 | Restructuring~10% of 32,000 over 3 years; targeting $600-700M/yr savings; enterprise-wide review |
| Feb. 23 | Bristol Myers Squibb | 247 | RestructuringLawrenceville workforce reduction disclosed through a New Jersey WARN notice. |
| Feb. 18 | Faraday Pharmaceuticals | ~9† | RestructuringCompany wound down; nine associated team members were identified, though the exact employment impact was unclear. |
| Feb. 17 | Concerto Biosciences | Undisclosed | PipelineUndisclosed cuts as it pivots to consumer products and applications |
| Feb. 12 | Ultragenyx | Undisclosed | ClinicalFollows pair of Ph3 failures flagged in December |
| Feb. 12 | Seres Therapeutics | Undisclosed | PipelineHalting SER-155 Ph2 to shift to earlier-stage programs; follows a ~25% cut |
| Feb. 2 | GSK | 350 | Restructuring<50 UK and <70 US; capped at 350 total as reorg finalizes |
| January 2026 | |||
| Jan. 30 | IO Biotech | Undisclosed | Pipeline‘Significant reduction’; CMO Qasim Ahmad out by Feb 15; brought in financial advisor |
| Jan. 30 | Bitterroot Bio | Undisclosed | PipelineCEO Pavan Cheruvu and ‘many’ others out; pivoting to discovery biology / translational research |
| Jan. 29 | Gilead Sciences | 34 | RestructuringOceanside workforce reduction disclosed through a California WARN notice. |
| Jan. 20 | Takeda | 243 | Patent cliff243 field-based roles cut ahead of Trintellix patent cliff; up to 400 new commercial roles planned |
| Jan. 16 | Vedanta Biosciences | Undisclosed | Pipeline‘Significant’ cut to channel resources to lead program; follows 20% cut last summer |
| Jan. 13 | Sonoma Biotherapeutics | Undisclosed | Pipeline‘Right-sizing’ across all levels and functions to prioritize lead RA asset |
| Jan. 13 | EMD SeronoMerck KGaA | Undisclosed | M&AStreamlining research after SpringWorks acquisition; undisclosed number |
| Jan. 12 | Lyra Therapeutics | Undisclosed | PipelineSuspending development; all 28 remaining employees impacted |
| Jan. 8 | Tessera TherapeuticsFlagship Pioneering | 90 | Site90 roles across several states starting March 8; no facility closures |
| Jan. 8 | Rampart Bioscience | Undisclosed | Wind-downAppears to have wound down; website down; had raised $125M in late 2023 |
| Jan. 8 | InflaRx | Undisclosed | Pipeline~30% cut + substantial spending cuts to back izicopan; ~74 total headcount a year ago |
| Jan. 2 | Nido Biosciences | Undisclosed | ClinicalClosing doors after lead candidate disappointed in a midstage study; ‘a handful’ impacted |
Source: Drug Discovery & Development analysis of 84 Biotech and Big Pharma headline events through Aug. 18, 2026. Company names link to the reporting each entry is based on. A tilde marks an approximate figure and a dagger (†) marks a count inferred from a disclosed percentage or a before-and-after headcount. Undisclosed events stay in the event count and are excluded from job totals.
Top reasons for cuts:
| Primary reason for workforce reduction | Headline events | Share of events | Reported / estimated jobs | Share of numeric jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corporate restructuring | 25 | 29.8% | 9,952 | 67.8% |
| Pipeline reprioritization / strategic review | 20 | 23.8% | 380 | 2.6% |
| M&A integration | 8 | 9.5% | 561 | 3.8% |
| FDA / regulatory setback | 8 | 9.5% | 355 | 2.4% |
| Wind-down / insolvency | 6 | 7.1% | 76 | 0.5% |
| Clinical failure | 6 | 7.1% | 241 | 1.6% |
| Site / manufacturing consolidation | 6 | 7.1% | 2,774 | 18.9% |
| Cash preservation / cost reduction | 3 | 3.6% | 15 | 0.1% |
| Market / commercial pressure | 1 | 1.2% | 84 | 0.6% |
| Patent cliff / commercial pressure | 1 | 1.2% | 243 | 1.7% |
Source: Drug Discovery & Development analysis of 84 2026 Biotech and Big Pharma headline events through Aug. 18. The event shares sum to 100%. Job shares use the 14,681 positions attached to events with a numeric headcount; events with undisclosed counts remain in the event denominator.
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