We hoped industry layoffs would relent in 2024. That's not what happened.
Overall, biopharma layoffs rose 3% last year compared to 2023, according to an analysis of yearly data.
So, here we are, launching our fourth edition of Fierce Biotech's layoff tracker. As always, if you know of a layoff occurring at a biotech, please reach out to the Fierce Biotech editorial team and let us know.
April—14 companies
April 21 - Tempest Therapeutics: Days after starting to look for partners, the company has moved to lay off 21 of its 26 full-time employees to stretch its limited cash reserves. The cuts represent an 80% workforce reduction. Story
April 15 - Mural Oncology: The cancer-focused company is laying off 104 people—equivalent to 90% of its workforce—and discarding nemvaleukin alfa after the IL-2 variant suffered its second clinical failure in less than a month. Story
April 14 - Third Harmonic Bio: The California biotech has abandoned plans to take its chronic spontaneous urticaria drug into phase 2, instead preparing to sell the asset while liquidating the business. The company did not disclose how many employees will be impacted by the decision. Story
April 10 - Pfizer: The Big Pharma sold its five-building campus, located on Science Center Drive in the San Diego neighborhood of Torrey Pines, to life sciences real estate firm BioMed Realty for $255 million while separately laying off 56 employees at the site. Story
April 10 - Opthea: Days after back-to-back flops sank an eye disease asset, the biotech revealed plans to lay off 65% of its staff and operate with a skeleton crew to save money. Story
April 9 - Organon: The women’s health drugmaker is initiating New Jersey layoffs that will hit 93 staffers. The company is undergoing a revamp and has been reducing its headcount in “certain markets and functions” since 2023. Story
April 9 - Vincerx Pharma: With two attempts to merge with other companies having collapsed, the ADC-focused biotech has been left with no choice but to start winding down. Story
April 8 - Tango Therapeutics: The Boston biotech is reducing spend on preclinical programs, a move that prompted layoffs for 30 Tango staffers last week. The cuts are "in light of the extremely challenging financial markets" and the biotech's "strong conviction in the value of our clinical programs," which include two PRMT5 inhibitor cancer candidates. Post
April 7 - Lyell Immunopharma: Less than a year after purchasing private cell therapy company ImmPact Bio, CAR-T developer Lyell plans to lay off 73 employees at ImmPact’s manufacturing facility in Los Angeles. Story
April 7 - Roche: The drugmaker is letting go of 108 workers at its molecular systems division in Santa Clara, California. As part of Roche's diagnostics unit, the division conducts R&D, software development, reagent manufacturing and business operations. Story
April 7 - Gilead: The pharma is eliminating 149 positions at its headquarters in Foster City, California. The cuts follow a round of layoffs five months ago at its headquarters and are expected to go into effect in May. Story
April 4 - Relay Therapeutics: The Massachusetts biotech has laid off about 70 employees, Relay's third round of cuts in less than a year. The most recent workforce reduction, along with other restructuring efforts made over the last year, represent a 75% reduction in Relay's annual research budget. Story
April 4 - Oncodesign Precision: The French biotech made five employees redundant after losing its partnership with Servier. OPM’s CEO and chief scientific officer took 50% pay cuts as part of the push to reduce spending. Story
April 1 - Sail Biomedicines: Flagship Pioneering-backed Sail has laid off 12 employees following a review of the company’s organizational structure, leaving 125 staff still employed at the programmable medicine biotech. Story
March—26 companies
March 31 - Carisma Therapeutics: The macrophage-focused company is cutting its team down from 46 full-time employees to just six, “each of whom we believe is necessary to evaluate our strategic alternatives and execute an orderly wind down,” the company said in an SEC filling. Story
March 31 - Inspirna: Formerly RGENIX and led by Novartis alum Usman “Oz” Azam, M.D., Inspirna is closing down, taking it appears all of the private company's several dozen staffers with it. In a LinkedIn post, Azam said: “Recruiters can contact me directly for a talent book- all high performing professionals that will be an asset to any organization in the lifesciences [sic].” Story.
March 31 - LifeMine Therapeutics: The former Fierce 15 honoree is slimming down its staff and consolidating its operations to dig into clinical development of its lead asset, a calcineurin inhibitor meant to suppress the T cells of patients receiving organ transplants. Story
March 28 - BioAtla: The biotech is laying off "over" 30% of staff amid the hunt for partnerships on its conditionally active biologic antibodies. Employees most likely to be spared will be those “essential for supporting value creation, advancing our prioritized internal programs and partnering other clinical assets." Story
March 27 - Nkarta: The South San Francisco-based company is laying off 34% of its workforce—representing 53 employees—including half of the biotech’s executive leadership, as the business diverts cash to its lead CAR NK candidate. Story
March 27 - Arbutus Biopharma: Arbutus is stripping back its workforce to just a “core team” needed to oversee mid-stage trials of the biotech's potential functional cure for hepatitis B. The departing staff include Chief Medical Officer Karen Sims, M.D., Ph.D., and General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer J. Christopher Naftzger. Story
March 27 - Lyndra Therapeutics: After spinning out from Moderna co-founder Robert Langer’s lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2015, Lyndra is winding down operations, with 60 employees being laid off. Story
March 26 - ElevateBio: The cell- and gene-therapy-focused company has let go of 17% of staffers "to ensure long-term success and our ability to scale," a spokesperson told Fierce. Story
March 21 - Vaxart: The South San Francisco-based company has laid off 10% of its staff after the U.S. government unexpectedly ordered the biotech stop work on a trial of its COVID-19 vaccine pill. Story
March 20 - Elevation Oncology: The biotech is ditching its sole clinical-stage asset in the wake of disappointing phase 1 data and laying off 70% of its staff as a result. The restructuring should stretch out the $93.2 million that Elevation entered 2024 with into the second half of 2026. Story
March 19 - bit.bio: The U.K. biotech is slimming its workforce by 25% as the company pivots to focus on biomedical tools instead of therapeutics development. Story
March 19 - Cargo Therapeutics: Just a few months after dumping its lead asset and cutting its team in half, the CAR-T biotech is jettisoning around 90% of its workforce. Story
March 18 - Empress Therapeutics: The Flagship Pioneering biotech has laid off 23 employees, about half its workforce, as the company works to get its small molecule science into the clinic. At the time of its June 2023 launch, the company announced plans to file up to four investigational new drug (IND) applications over the span of two years. As of mid-March 2025, the Massachusetts biotech has not yet publicly announced an IND filing. Story
March 18 - TC BioPharm: The Scottish biotech developing allogeneic gamma-delta T cell therapies is outsourcing several functions, resulting in a workforce reduction of 20 employees. Release
March 18 - HC Bioscience: The Arch-backed biotech is shutting down after conducting preclinical models for a tRNA asset designed to treat hemophilia A. The company declined to respond when asked if the company was trying to sell off its science or how many employees would be impacted by the shutdown. Story
March 18 - Pyxis Oncology: Having recently trimmed back its pipeline to a sole cancer candidate, Pyxis Oncology has now reduced its head count to match. The Boston biotech is shrinking its workforce by "approximately" 20%, with the company’s general and administrative and preclinical group bearing the brunt of the layoffs. Story
March 18 - Novartis: Novartis is laying off 427 employees in East Hanover, New Jersey, where the company’s U.S. headquarters is located, starting in mid-June and continuing through late October. The staff shakeup can be attributed to changes Novartis is making to its cardiovascular commercialization model that are designed to “simplify and strengthen” how the drugmaker works with customers. Story
March 17 - Merck & Co.: The big pharma is planning to cut 163 jobs at its Cherokee manufacturing plant in Riverside, Pennsylvania, as part of a multi-year plan to wind down operations at the site. Story
March 17 - Apriori Bio: Apriori is the latest Flagship Pioneering-backed biotech to shed staff, cutting 15 workers to leave 21 still employed at the vaccine-focused firm. The cuts come as part of a restructure to shift from platform development to pipeline advancement. Story
March 14 - Sutro Biopharma: The biotech is laying off almost 50% of staff after deciding to deprioritize its lead asset, an ADC known as luvelta. At the same time, Sutro's CEO Bill Newell has “mutually agreed” with the board to "transition leadership" and is departing. Story
March 13 - GRO Biosciences: The synthetic biology specialist has restructured, laying off an undisclosed number of research staffers. Story
March 11 - Kiromic BioPharma: Until it raises money to ease its cash crisis, Kiromic has put 31 employees on furlough, which make up “substantially all” of its workforce. The employees aren’t allowed to work on Kiromic projects and won’t receive salary or wages, although Kiromic will still provide certain benefits. Story
March 6 - Atea Pharmaceuticals: After giving up on its COVID ambitions last year, Atea revealed in its annual financial results that during the first quarter of 2025, the biotech has slashed its workforce by 25% as it looks to make savings of around $15 million through 2027. Story
March 5 - ALX Oncology: As the biotech looks to channel its cash into further trials of its CD47 blocker, the company will lay off 30% of its workforce. Story
March 5 - Bristol Myers Squibb: The drugmaker is once again pruning its workforce in New Jersey, rolling out new cuts that will impact 223 staffers in Lawrenceville. The lay offs will start in May and continue through the start of August. Separately, BMS also disclosed 57 job cuts at its site in Redwood City, California, which are slated to take effect by April 22. Story
March 4 - Atara Biotherapeutics: While the biotech navigates the fallout from the FDA’s move to halt trials of its allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy Ebvallo and a CAR-T candidate, Atara is laying off 50% of its workforce. The layoffs are expected to be completed by June. Story
February—18 companies
Feb. 28 - CRISPR Therapeutics: The gene editing specialist is laying off an undisclosed number of employees, a CRISPR spokesperson told Fierce Biotech on Friday. The spokesperson did not comment on the departments affected by the cuts, though LinkedIn posts from the past two days show a number of former employees—including scientists, research associates and manufacturing workers—now seeking new employment.
Feb. 27 - Eisai: The Japanese biopharma is restructuring its operations in the U.S., leading to 121 layoffs across commercial, medical and corporate service functions. Story
Feb. 25 - Ryvu Therapeutics: The Polish biotech is shrinking its headcount by by 30% as its focuses its funds on taking its lead blood cancer drug through phase 3 trials. Story
Feb. 25 - Lava Therapeutics: After dumping its lead blood cancer drug, Lava is now laying off 30% of its staff in an effort to conserve cash. Story
Feb. 25 - Repare Therapeutics: After potential layoffs were announced in January, staffers have learned that 75% of them are heading for the exits. The most high-profile departure will be the biotech’s chief medical officer Maria Koehler, M.D., Ph.D. Story
Feb. 14 - Spotlight Therapeutics: The San Francisco gene editor has closed its doors. It's unclear how many employees have been impacted. Story
Feb. 14 - Kojin Therapeutics: Boston biotech Kojin is winding down operations over the next few months, according to a LinkedIn status from the business. In the post, the company said it expects many of its employees to be looking for new positions. Story
Feb. 13 - Moderna: The big biotech is revamping its digital team, eliminating 10% of roles under two digital departments, affecting about 50 employees. The IT workforce reductions come as Moderna’s chief information officer Brad Miller departs after a two-year stint. Story
Feb. 13 - Encoded Therapeutics: The gene therapy biotech is laying off 29% of staffers as it focuses resources toward its Dravet syndrome program. Most of the affected roles will be in Encoded's technology and early-stage R&D functions. Story
Feb. 11 - Inventiva: Low on cash, the French biotech told its workers council that it will be halving its head count as it focuses exclusively on investigational MASH drug lanifibranor. Story
Feb. 11 - Third Harmonic Bio: The biotech announced it will lay off half of its workforce as it prepares to take its chronic spontaneous urticaria candidate into phase 2. Story
Feb. 10 - Q32 Bio: As part of a restructuring effort, the biotech is discontinuing a phase 2 trial and exploring strategic options for its tissue-targeted complement inhibitor platform, as well as implementing a workforce reduction. The plans are designed to extend the company's cash runway to the second half of next year. Story
Feb. 6 - X4 Pharmaceuticals: The rare disease biotech is laying off 43 employees—equivalent to 30% of the company’s total staffers—along with the discontinuation of its “research efforts” and the closure of a facility in Vienna, Austria. All pre-clinical programs will also be paused. Story
Feb. 5 - Viracta Therapeutics: The cancer biotech has closed its doors, laying off all employees and winding down operations. Story
Feb. 5 - Frontier Medicines: The precision medicines biotech is leaving behind an unknown number of staffers as it streamlines operations “for greater efficiency, focusing resources where they will have the greatest impact,” a spokesperson told Fierce Biotech. Frontier declined to share what percentage of its workforce would be impacted. Story
Feb. 4 - Kyowa Kirin: The Japanese pharma is letting go of 52 employees in Princeton, New Jersey. The location is the company's headquarters for North America. Story
Feb. 4 - Bristol Myers Squibb: As the major cost-cutting initiative at BMS continues, the pharma has launched another round of layoffs in its home state of New Jersey, this time impacting 67 employees. Story
Feb. 4 - Turnstone Biologics: The San Diego biotech is seeking out “strategic alternatives” for its business and as it cuts work on its remaining pipeline program, the company is also wielding the ax on its staffers. By exactly how much, the biotech is not sharing, saying simply that it is “reducing its workforce,” but “intends to retain all employees essential for supporting value-realization as part of its strategic review.” Story
Feb. 3 - Omega Therapeutics: With cash running low, the Novo Nordisk-partnered biotech has struck a deal with its founder Flagship Pioneering that could see it file for bankruptcy and lay off up to 17 people. Story
January—20 companies
Jan. 29 - Cargo Therapeutics: The cell therapy company is shedding its lead candidate in light of weak durability and serious side effects, a move accompanied by a 50% workforce reduction. Story
Jan. 29 - Ironwood Pharmaceuticals: The drug developer initiated a rolling approval application for it investigational treatment of short bowel syndrome patients who are dependent on parenteral support. In order to “streamline” its focus on the candidate, the company announced at the same time that it was halving its workforce. Story
Jan. 29 - I-Mab: After announcing a pipeline restructure earlier in the month, I-Mab’s has reduced its workforce by around 27%. Story
Jan. 28 - Zentalis Pharmaceuticals: In hopes of extending its cash runway through 2026, oncology-focused Zentalis has plans to lay off about 40% of staffers. Release
Jan. 27 - Allakos: The biotech is dropping its lead candidate after a phase 1 data drop in hives and is laying off 75% of its employees as it explores strategic alternatives. Story
Jan. 22 - Biogen: The neuro-focused biotech is making an undisclosed number of cuts to its research team as it prioritizes its preclinical pipeline and shifts resources to external opportunities. Story
Jan. 16 - Notch Therapeutics: Struggling to secure both investors and research partners, Canadian cell therapy firm Notch is making significant layoffs to save cash. Story
Jan. 13 - Apellis Pharmaceuticals: As it prioritizes commercializing geographic atrophy treatment Syfovre in the U.S., Apellis is cutting about 40 non-U.S. employees. Release
Jan 10 - Barinthus Bio: In a shift to focus on immunology and inflammation indications, the biotech is halting further development of VTP-300 for chronic hepatitis B viral infection and laying off 65% of staffers across both its U.K. and U.S. sites. Release
Jan. 10 - Passage Bio: The Philadelphia-based genetic medicines company is planning to lay off about 55% of its staff as it pivots from an in-house to outsourced analytical testing model. Story
Jan. 10 - Y-mAbs Therapeutics: As part of a realignment of its business units, the radiopharma is reducing its workforce by up to 13% and moving some roles from Denmark to the U.S. Release
Jan. 10 - Repare Therapeutics: Repare is making more cuts. After announcing a 25% head count reduction last summer the biotech is making deeper cuts "later this quarter," it told Fierce Biotech, that will be in addition to last year's layoffs. It is not making the figures public. Story
Jan. 10 - Intellia Therapeutics: Exactly one year after slashing 15% of its workforce and pausing some research work Intellia is once again axing staffers, this time laying off 27% and further trimming its pipeline as it looks to 2027 for its first commercial launch. Story
Jan. 10 - Shoreline Biosciences: The cell therapy biotech plans to let go of an undisclosed number of employees tied to a project with Gilead Sciences’ Kite Pharma. Story
Jan. 9 - IGM Biosciences: After recently pivoting to focus on autoimmune diseases, the biotech is discontinuing development of two assets and laying off 73% of staffers. Release
Jan. 9 - Velia Therapeutics: The microprotein biotech is winding down operations, a move that will impact an undisclosed number of staffers. Story
Jan. 8 - Scribe Therapeutics: As it preps its genetic medicines for the clinic, cardiometabolic-focused Scribe is slimming its workforce by 20%. Story
Jan. 8 - Galapagos: The company is splitting in two, parting with 40% of its employees, or about 300 employees. Story
Jan. 7 - Cassava Sciences: After reporting a phase 3 Alzheimer's fail in November, Cassava is implementing a 33% workforce reduction, representing 10 employees. Release
Jan. 7 - CytomX Therapeutics: The California biotech is shrinking its head count by 40% and reassessing the future of Amgen-partnered T-cell engager CX-904 as a way to save cash and focus on its lead antibody-drug conjugate. Story