Gilead Sciences will cut 104 positions at its Foster City headquarters, with layoffs hitting senior leadership hardest, including five vice presidents and a senior vice president.
The biotech powerhouse, known for blockbuster HIV medications and the COVID-19 treatment Remdesivir, disclosed the workforce reduction in a WARN filing Wednesday. Most affected employees will depart between March 14 and April 30, 2025.
Beyond the executive ranks, the cuts sweep through more than three dozen director-level roles spanning Public Affairs, Risk Governance, and Human Resources. Business-side middle managers, several research scientists, two recruiters, and two inclusion and diversity staffers also face termination.
Meanwhile, Gilead confirmed broader consolidation plans. The company will shutter its Seattle office entirely, eliminating 72 positions there, and expects to close a subsidiary facility in Philadelphia by mid-2025.
Spokesperson Blair Baumwell framed the restructuring as strategic positioning. Employees whose roles disappear can pursue other openings internally or access severance and outplacement services. Baumwell said Gilead is aligning resources ahead of six potential product launches by 2030.
“Our business is performing well, and our clinical momentum continues to accelerate,” Baumwell stated. “We are also creating changes to further align resources with our long-term strategic goals.”
The Foster City campus has seen steady attrition over the past year. An October 2023 WARN notice covered 42 layoffs, followed by 58 additional cuts announced in April 2024.
Gilead’s overall footprint remains substantial. The company employed roughly 18,000 workers at the end of 2023 and generated $7.5 billion in revenue last quarter. Its market valuation hovers around $110 billion. HIV drugs account for approximately two-thirds of revenue, with hepatitis, cancer, and COVID-19 products rounding out the portfolio.
As a result, these layoffs represent a small fraction of the global workforce. However, the concentration of senior-level departures signals a significant realignment at the top of the organization.
