The layoffs across GSK’s Belgium sites come on the heels of the pharma’s planned shuttering of its German vaccine manufacturing site, which prompted job cuts for about 650 employees.
Less than a month after announcing that it would shutter its German manufacturing facility and slash about 650 jobs there, GSK is cutting more than 1,200 roles in Belgium as part of its $2.5 billion global restructuring.
The new layoffs, which could affect as many as 1,217 GSK employees, are part of the organization’s three-year plan to reallocate capital and resources toward the pharma’s late-stage pipeline and R&D efforts, a spokesperson confirmed with BioSpace on Wednesday.
The cuts will be spread across GSK’s Rixensart, Wavre and Gembloux sites, Belgium news publication L’Echo reported.
The workforce reduction will include streamlining GSK’s research, manufacturing and support operations, in part by using digital and automation tools, according to Reuters. GSK did not respond to BioSpace’s inquiries about which specific roles will be impacted.
Even after the layoffs, GSK “will remain the largest biopharma employer in Belgium,” the company spokesperson told BioSpace, who added that the country is “an important centre for the company, including as a major hub for vaccines manufacturing, contributing over 50% of GSK’s global vaccine operations.”
GSK’s vaccine business experienced an 8% year-on-year increase in vaccine sales in 2026’s second quarter. This was driven largely by its shingles shot Shingrix, which made £900 million ($1.2 billion) in the quarter, and the respiratory syncytial virus vaccine Arexvy, which surged more than 100% year over year to hit £200 million ($270 million).
“GSK’s vaccines business remains strong, with innovative products including Shingrix, Arexvy, and significant pipeline opportunities including our mRNA seasonal flu vaccine candidate which went into phase 3 in last month,” the spokesperson added.
The layoffs are part of a $2.5 billion restructuring planned for the next three years, with the expected savings designed to keep funds flowing into the U.K. pharma’s late-stage portfolio and pipeline.
The company said the restructuring would include global job cuts, though CEO Luke Miels did not share any color behind those changes when the plan was unveiled in July.
