Remote Job Cuts in Biopharma: RTO Mandates Reshaping Workforce Strategy at EMD Serono, Exelixis

NewsData.io · United States · Aug 20, 2026

Return-to-office mandates are reshaping workforce composition in the biopharma sector, with EMD Serono giving 70 remote R&D employees an ultimatum to go hybrid or lose their jobs, and Exelixis cutting 130 positions—including 33 remote workers—while planning to reopen roles as on-site positions at its California headquarters. Recruiters at PharmaLogics note a broad industry shift toward hybrid arrangements, with candidates increasingly asking whether remote policies could change post-hire. Analysts caution that remote workers aren't categorically at higher layoff risk, as drug exclusivity losses and cost restructuring also drive cuts across all work arrangements. For staffing firms serving life sciences clients, the trend signals growing demand for on-site and hybrid placements and reduced appetite for fully remote engagements.