HAYWARD — Biotech companies have chopped hundreds of jobs in the East Bay, raising the specter of economic struggles for an industry that had been seen as a bright spot and possible source of expansion in the region.
Lonza Biologics and Personalis are among the most recent biotech companies to slash employment in the Bay Area, according to official WARN notices posted by the state Employment Development Department (EDD).
The two companies have revealed plans to eliminate a combined 280 jobs, all in Alameda County, the EDD WARN notices state.
Here are the details of the job cuts by the two biotech firms, as revealed on the EDD’s public site:
— Lonza Biologics is cutting 218 jobs as part of what is described as a permanent closure of its facility in Hayward. The Lonza job cuts are slated to take effect on Feb. 2.
— Personalis has decided to eliminate 62 jobs in Fremont. These layoffs are described as permanent. The Personalis staffing reductions are scheduled to occur on Jan. 30.
“Lonza Biologics has announced the permanent closure of its worksite located at 1978 West Winton Avenue in Hayward,” Ignacio Cimas, head of Lonza HR in Hayward, stated in a letter to the state EDD.
None of the Lonza employees have bumping rights, which means the workers who are losing their jobs won’t be able to displace workers with less seniority.
The Personalis job cuts are affecting employees at the company’s location on Dumbarton Circle in Fremont.
Lonza Biologics, a unit of a Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company, provides customized manufacturing services to help commercialize an array of pharmaceutical, biotech and nutrition products.
Personalis provides advanced testing technologies related to cancer treatment.