Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO) is laying off 86 workers in Seattle and closing its wet-lab activities in the city.
Novo Nordisk disclosed the layoffs through a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) filed with the state of Washington, and a company spokesperson confirmed details with the Business Journal on Wednesday. According to the spokesperson, Novo Nordisk is expanding its presence in the Boston area.
"This new Boston area hub will be the home to the majority of Novo Nordisk’s US-based research and development activities, and we anticipate adding more than 200 new jobs in the Boston area in 2023," the spokesperson said in a statement. "The decision to expand our footprint in greater Boston comes with the difficult decision to close our wet-lab activities in Seattle and a (research and development) facility in Indianapolis."
The WARN, filed Wednesday, notes the layoffs will begin at the start of May. The spokesperson said Novo Nordisk is also eliminating 20 positions in Indianapolis. Employees affected by the layoffs can pursue other positions.
Novo Nordisk will continue to have a presence in Seattle, the spokesperson said, with a focus on digital therapy, data science and artificial intelligence.
Novo Nordisk, founded in 1923, makes medications for diabetes, hemophilia and growth disorders, among others. The company also makes insulin pens and growth hormone pens. Novo Nordisk has more than 55,100 employees around the globe. It first established its presence in Seattle in 2009, according to the company's website. The Seattle research center has focused on diabetes, obesity, liver disease and other areas.
Multiple local biotechs have laid off employees recently. In February, Redmond-based Eliem Therapeutics said it would cut about 55% of its workforce in the first half of this year and part ways with CEO Bob Azelby. Seattle-based Sana Biotechnology in November disclosed plans to lay off about 15% of its workforce.
