Massachusetts biotech hub is limping amid layoffs and low investment
Yahoo Finance·2025-10-23 08:00

Core Insights - The Massachusetts biotech industry is experiencing a significant downturn in pipeline growth, venture funding, federal support, and sector employment, indicating a troubling trend for the U.S. biotech landscape [2][3][4] Industry Overview - Massachusetts, a leading hub for biotech R&D, is facing a painful decline in investor confidence, which could jeopardize the U.S.'s global leadership in the biotech sector [4] - The report from MassBio highlights that from last year through the first half of 2025, the biotech industry has seen limited growth in overall funding deals, leading to layoffs and reduced innovation [3][5] Employment Trends - The biotech sector in Massachusetts has seen over 1,800 job losses in the third quarter of this year, totaling 4,100 job losses in 2025 so far [5] - Major companies like Moderna and Sarepta Therapeutics have reduced their workforces by 10% and 36%, respectively, contributing to the decline in the biotech workforce [5] Funding Landscape - Despite venture capital funding deals in the first half of 2025 nearly matching the previous year, total funding was down by 17%, indicating a lack of financial support for smaller biotech companies [6][7] - The top 10 funding deals accounted for more than half of the total funding, leaving smaller players struggling for financial resources [7]