In November, the pharmaceutical industry experienced significant changes in executive personnel, with adjustments at several well-known domestic and international enterprises drawing widespread attention. These changes not only reveal internal strategic adjustments but also signal new trends for the industry's future development.
Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) recently announced further layoffs as part of its cost-saving strategy. According to the New Jersey Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) document, this round of layoffs affects 195 employees. This is part of BMS's layoff plan in the Lawrenceville area, which follows the announcement in May of a reduction of 963 positions, bringing the total layoffs in the area to 1,329. These measures are crucial to BMS's plan to achieve a cost-saving target of $1.5 billion by the end of 2025.
BMS emphasizes that through layoffs and process optimization, the company can allocate resources more effectively and focus on investing in innovative drugs and transformative treatment solutions, aiming to create greater value for patients and shareholders. A company spokesperson noted that BMS is committed to optimizing its operational structure and prioritizing funding for innovative drug development that maximizes patient welfare and shareholder returns.
At the same time, it was reported that Merck is also laying off employees in its diabetes business division in China to respond flexibly to market fluctuations and business restructuring needs. This move may relate to the increasingly fierce competition in centralized procurement and generic drugs in the Chinese market. Merck's main products in the diabetes market in China include sitagliptin, sitagliptin/metformin, and ertugliflozin. Although the specific scale of the layoffs has not been publicly disclosed, the market generally believes this is related to intensified price competition under centralized procurement policies. Notably, sitagliptin and its combination formulations have been included in the national centralized procurement list, placing significant pressure on Merck's market share in China.
Sales data illustrate the pressure Merck faces. In 2022, sitagliptin and its metformin combination formulations contributed $4.513 billion in sales to Merck; however, by 2023, this total had declined to $3.366 billion. For example, sitagliptin tablets have seen over 30 companies participating in the development and production of generics in the Chinese market, resulting in fierce competition.
On November 18, reports emerged that Johnson & Johnson China is undergoing layoffs across multiple product lines, with compensation plans offering "N+1," "N+2," and "N+3" based on years of service. Johnson & Johnson China has yet to officially respond to this news. It is reported that the scale of these layoffs could reach 20% of the total workforce, primarily focused on the surgical department. Some affected employees revealed that layoff notifications were sent via private email, with departure dates set for the end of this year. This round of layoffs may be related to pressures from centralized procurement in surgery and the company's strategic adjustments. Notably, Johnson & Johnson Medical Technology recently announced a major organizational restructuring of its surgical division, which will be reorganized into six major departments starting January 1, 2025. Additionally, the departure of the Senior Director of the MONARCH Surgical Division in China, Chen Xiaoming, further confirms the ongoing changes within the company.
In addition to BMS, Merck, and Johnson & Johnson, changes in executive personnel at other domestic pharmaceutical companies continue to attract industry attention, including the resignation of the chairman of Tianjin Pharmaceutical Daren Tang, the appointment of a new chairman at Guangyao Group, the appointment of a new vice president at Health元, the replacement of the general manager at Sinopharm Yisheng, the resignation of a vice president at Kanghua Bio, the replacement of the CEO at Saint No Pharmaceuticals, and the resignation of a director at Zhejiang Zhenyuan. These changes will undoubtedly introduce more uncertainties and observation points for the future development of the pharmaceutical industry.