For the second time in 2026, the number of biopharma professionals affected by made or projected workforce reductions rose year over year. In May, layoffs spiked nearly 50%, mainly due to Takeda and BioNTech axing a combined 6,360 employees.
Those hoping biopharma layoffs would slow this year might want to ignore what happened in May. Last month, biotech and pharma companies cut or planned to cut 6,956 employees, a 47% year-over-year increase and nearly double the previous monthly high of 3,713 in February, based on BioSpace tallies.*
May marks the second time in 2026 that the number of biopharma professionals affected by layoffs increased year over year.
Most of May’s cuts happened in the first two weeks of the month, when BioNTech and Takeda detailed plans involving 6,360 people total.
- On May 5, BioNTech announced it will close several manufacturing facilities by the end of 2027, affecting about 1,860 jobs. The German biotech’s affected sites include a Singapore location whose closure impacting 85 people was previously reported in April.
- On May 13, Takeda revealed in an earnings presentation that its efforts to streamline corporate operations include cutting around 4,500 employees during fiscal year 2026. The Japan pharma confirmed to BioSpace that the total includes an estimated 247 roles in Massachusetts and 387 in other states as outlined in a March Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act notice.
Other biopharmas making or projecting cuts were AbbVie, Amicus Therapeutics, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis and Valneva.
At least 376 employees being laid off will need to find new positions sooner than later, as their effective dates are this year. The true number could be significantly higher, as BioNTech and Takeda did not say how many of the people they’re letting go have end dates in 2026.
Some companies’ cuts are their first known layoffs this year
Four of the seven biopharmas making or projecting cuts in May were disclosing layoffs for the first time this year.
- AbbVie is letting go of 85 employees in Irvine, California, effective July 20, according to a WARN notice.
- Amicus Therapeutics is cutting 58 people at its Princeton, New Jersey, headquarters from Aug. 7 through Oct. 30, the company disclosed in a WARN alert.
- Johnson & Johnson is laying off 56 employees in New Brunswick, New Jersey, effective Aug. 21, according to a WARN notice.
- Valneva is letting go of 10% to 15% of its workforce this year, the company announced May 13. BioSpace estimates the cuts could affect 67 to 101 people.
Amicus’ cuts came just two weeks after BioMarin Pharmaceutical completed its acquisition of the company, an all-cash deal worth about $4.8 billion.
Novartis has multiple cuts in May
Of the biopharmas making or projecting layoffs in May, one had multiple rounds: Novartis. Combined, the Swiss pharma’s cuts will affect at least 296 employees.
Novartis’ first workforce reduction came early in the month. The company announced May 5 it plans to close a Wehr, Germany, production plant by the end of 2028, which should nix 220 jobs. Novartis noted that the site, which makes solid oral dosage forms for mostly established products, is no longer competitive.
On May 15, a company spokesperson confirmed to BioSpace in an emailed statement that the pharma was laying off an unidentified number of employees within its biomedical research organization. The affected location or locations and timing of cuts were not specified.
“Novartis continually assesses opportunities to support our growth strategy as a focused innovative medicines company,” the statement read. “We regularly evaluate our organizational setup to ensure it remains aligned with evolving priorities.”
In its last round of cuts for May, the pharma disclosed in a WARN notice that it’s letting go of 76 employees in East Hanover, New Jersey, effective Aug. 21. It was the third time this year that Novartis divulged it’s downsizing its New Jersey operations. The first cuts, affecting 114 employees, take place from June 26 through Nov. 27. The second round, involving 60 people, runs from July 24 through Nov. 20.
*Layoff numbers exclude contract development and manufacturing organizations, contract research organizations, tools and services businesses and medical device firms. To tally the cuts, BioSpace compiles data for known workforce reductions. The number of employees affected is identified or estimated primarily through information in company press releases, Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act notices, SEC filings and other media outlets’ reports or via confirmation from company officials.
Not all companies disclose downsizing, and some share only the percentage of staff affected. Some biopharmas provide total numbers retrospectively rather than disclosing individual workforce reductions as they happen.
