Large California biotech firm announces 600+ layoffs in closure of major Silicon Valley facility

Additional cuts include 11 material handlers at the Fremont East Bay Logistics Center and two remote workers.Photo byJames YaremaonUnsplash

Cepheid, a major biotechnology firm known for single-use diagnostic tests, is cutting hundreds of jobs across the Bay Area, according to the state Employment Development Department.

The layoffs, detailed in WARN filings to the California EDD last month, primarily affect manufacturing roles at Cepheid’s Sunnyvale headquarters, including 450 manufacturing associates and several directors.

Additional cuts include 11 material handlers at the Fremont East Bay Logistics Center and two remote workers.

The reductions are part of a broader workforce adjustment under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act.

Some roles will be relocated to the company's offices in Lodi, located in California's Central Valley according to published reports.