Global Biopharma Layoffs July 2026

Amgen

Amgen has confirmed that it is eliminating approximately 40 positions as part of an organizational realignment designed to better support its long-term strategic priorities. The company did not disclose which business units or locations are affected by the workforce reduction.

The restructuring comes as Amgen continues to navigate regulatory challenges surrounding its rare disease medicine Tavneos. Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cited concerns over liver toxicity and recommended withdrawing the treatment from the U.S. market. In May, reports also emerged that 20 patients in Japan had died after receiving the drug.

Amgen has disputed the FDA's recommendation, stating that it strongly disagrees with the proposed market withdrawal. The company confirmed that it has requested a meeting with the agency to discuss the future regulatory status of Tavneos.

CLINUVEL PHARMACEUTICALS

CLINUVEL PHARMACEUTICALS is planning to reduce its global workforce by between 10% and 20% as part of a broader strategic reorganization aimed at strengthening its presence in the U.S. market. Based on the company's reported headcount of 104 employees, the restructuring could affect up to 21 positions.

The Australia-founded biotech also announced plans to relocate its corporate headquarters to New York at the beginning of 2027. According to the company, the move is intended to enhance regulatory engagement, expand commercial partnerships and better support the launch of late-stage programs, particularly its vitiligo portfolio, which targets an estimated 6 million patients in the United States.

CLINUVEL said the workforce reduction is designed to better align operating expenses with current revenue levels and near-term clinical and commercial priorities. The company also views the restructuring as an important step toward improving access to deeper and more liquid U.S. capital markets.

EMD Serono

EMD Serono, the U.S. healthcare business of Germany's Merck KGaA, could see up to 70 research and development employees leave the company as it introduces a revised return-to-office policy. Beginning in early September, R&D staff associated with its Billerica, Massachusetts research institute will be required to work on-site at least three days per week.

Employees who currently work remotely and live more than 50 miles from the Billerica campus have been offered three options: commute from their current residence, relocate closer to the site with company-funded relocation assistance, or resign. According to a WARN notice, only employees who choose to leave the company would receive severance, meaning the reported 70 potential departures are not guaranteed layoffs.

Most voluntary separations are expected to take effect on Sept. 4, although the company noted that some employees may remain longer to meet business needs. Earlier this year, EMD Serono also reduced its research workforce in Durham, North Carolina, though it did not disclose the number of positions affected.

Merck KGaA reported first-quarter 2026 revenue of €5.1 billion (approximately $5.83 billion), representing a 2.9% increase year over year. Its healthcare division, which includes pharmaceuticals and medical devices, generated €2.1 billion (about $2.4 billion) in revenue, down 3.4% compared with the same period last year.

Novartis

Novartis is carrying out its largest workforce reduction of the year so far, with 322 employees at its East Hanover, New Jersey site set to be laid off. According to a WARN notice, the cuts will take effect on Oct. 2 and bring the total number of positions eliminated at the location this year to 572.

The latest reduction marks the fourth round of layoffs at the East Hanover facility. Previous cuts were announced in March, April and May, affecting 114, 60 and 76 employees, respectively, with all reductions scheduled to occur in 2026.

Across its global operations, Novartis has announced or disclosed workforce reductions affecting at least 792 employees in 2026. The company previously confirmed additional staffing cuts within its biomedical research organization and announced plans to close its Wehr, Germany manufacturing site by the end of 2028, a move expected to eliminate 220 positions.

Genentech

Genentech has disclosed additional details about its June restructuring, confirming that 103 employees at its South San Francisco headquarters will be laid off. According to a WARN notice processed on July 1, the workforce reduction is scheduled to take effect on July 29.

While earlier reports suggested the changes were limited to the company's Genentech Research and Early Development (gRED) organization, the latest update indicates that several other business functions are also affected. The company emphasized, however, that the reductions represent targeted organizational adjustments rather than broad-based downsizing.

Genentech also noted that it continues to recruit talent in key scientific and technical areas, including within gRED, to support the advancement of its research pipeline and long-term product strategy.

The restructuring also included the departure of longtime executive Vishva Dixit, who had spent nearly three decades at the company and most recently served as vice president and senior fellow in physiological chemistry and research biology.

BioNTech

BioNTech is continuing to streamline its global operations as it shifts resources toward its late-stage oncology pipeline. As part of this effort, the company will close its Berlin-based subsidiary JPT Peptide Technologies by the end of the year, affecting approximately 140 employees.

JPT Peptide Technologies operates as a contract manufacturer specializing in peptide-based products and services. BioNTech said the closure is part of a broader strategy to concentrate investment on its core oncology business.

The company also plans to shut down manufacturing facilities in Idar-Oberstein and Marburg, Germany, as well as former CureVac sites in Germany and other countries by the end of 2027. In addition, its Singapore manufacturing facility is scheduled to close by the first quarter of 2027.

Across all of these planned site closures, BioNTech estimates that approximately 1,860 positions will be affected.