Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has announced plans to lay off approximately 210 workers at two of its major facilities in North Carolina. The company, which is one of the largest employers in the region, filed paperwork with the state detailing the impending job cuts.
The layoffs will affect 60 workers at Pfizer's Rocky Mount facility in Nash County and 150 at its Sanford facility in Lee County. The Rocky Mount location is one of the largest sterile injectable facilities globally, producing nearly 25% of Pfizer's sterile injectables used in U.S. hospitals.
In Rocky Mount, Pfizer plans to decommission select manufacturing lines and implement efficiency changes. The company cited lower projected product demand and ongoing site modernization efforts as reasons for these adjustments.
The situation in Sanford is linked to a clinical trial failure for a treatment targeting Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Following disappointing results, Pfizer has decided to discontinue the development of this treatment, leading to staffing changes at the Sanford site, which was heavily involved in the program.
Despite these layoffs, Pfizer maintains a substantial presence in North Carolina. As of January 2023, the company reported employing about 4,500 workers in the state, with investments totaling approximately $1.4 billion since 2017.
The company has emphasized that these decisions are not reflective of employee performance but rather align with business needs and capacity design. Pfizer has stated its commitment to keeping affected employees informed throughout the process and providing support services.
These layoffs are part of a broader cost-cutting initiative by Pfizer, which announced a multiyear program aimed at delivering savings of about $1.5 billion by the end of 2027. As the pharmaceutical landscape evolves, Pfizer's actions highlight the ongoing challenges and adjustments faced by the industry.
