Biopharma layoffs ease in Q3 2026, but cuts still ongoing

Recruiters note that biopharma layoff volume in Q3 2026 remained modest, suggesting the sector is moving past the large wave of cuts seen last year.

Fierce recorded 21 layoff announcements between July and September, a slight rise from 17 in Q2 but far below the 33 reported in Q1.

The biggest disclosed reduction came from Novo, which said an additional 4,000 jobs were eliminated, adding to a prior 9,000 cuts, though confirmation of timing is pending.

Even with Novo's numbers, the quarterly total shows a clear recovery compared with 2025, when 64 and 62 layoff announcements were logged in Q2 and Q3 respectively.

Overall, the data indicates a cooling of redundancies, though the industry continues to trim staff after the extensive reductions of previous years.