Published • loading... • Updated
Life Sciences Jobs Fall in Mass. for First Time in Two Decades
Investment rebounded 25% in the first half of 2026, but research and development payrolls still drove most of the 3,600-job decline.
- Massachusetts biopharma lost about 3,600 jobs in 2025, marking the first annual decline in more than two decades, according to a MassBio report released Tuesday. Signs of recovery are emerging throughout 2026.
- R&D positions fell 3.9% in 2025, the steepest drop among major hubs, while biomanufacturing roles rose by 238 positions. This notable contrast reflects the sector's complex shift amid federal funding challenges.
- Investors poured $3.45 billion into Massachusetts companies in the first half of 2026, a 25% increase over the same period last year. Eleven biotechs were acquired for a reported $18 billion, well above prior-year levels.
- Eli Lilly doubled its local workforce to 1,423 employees, while Moderna now employs about 2,600 in Massachusetts. MassBio spokesperson Ben Bradford cautioned that "growth will be more measured" as the industry recovers.
- China's drug pipeline grew 36.2% over the past year, intensifying global competition for Massachusetts. MassBio CEO Kendalle Burlin O'Connell emphasized the need for "the policy embrace" and federal funding to sustain the state's biotech leadership.
Insights by Ground AI
11 Articles
11 Articles
Mass. biopharma industry loses jobs, but investment rebounds
The state's biopharma industry shrank for the first time in the more than two decades MassBio has tracked this data, with around 3,600 roles cut in 2025. Venture capital funding is up 25% compared to last year.
·Boston, United States
Read Full Article
Report: Mass. biopharma is bouncing back. But the jobs haven’t yet.
Employment declined for the first time in more than two decades, according to a new report, as the industry navigates a prolonged downturn. The post Report: Mass. biopharma is bouncing back. But the jobs haven’t yet. appeared first on Boston.com.
·Boston, United States
Read Full Article
Coverage Details
Total News Sources11
Leaning Left1Leaning Right0Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution83% Center
Bias Distribution
- 83% of the sources are Center
83% Center
L 17%
C 83%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
