A biotechnology company with roots in Birmingham is closing its Hoover facility as part of a broader shift in its business strategy.
Hoover Facility to Shut Down
BioCryst Pharmaceuticals will lay off 47 employees as it closes its Discovery Center of Excellence in Hoover, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) filing.
The Durham, North Carolina-based company announced earlier this year that it would discontinue its internal drug discovery programs. As a result, it will end operations at its Birmingham-area research facility.
Strategic Shift Ends Local Research Operations
BioCryst, which specializes in developing treatments for rare diseases, was founded in Birmingham before relocating its headquarters to North Carolina in 2011. Even after the move, the company’s Birmingham-area facility continued to support research and early-stage drug discovery.
Company leaders said the closure reflects a strategic decision to focus resources on building its future pipeline of rare disease therapies. The transition also marks the end of BioCryst’s long-standing research presence in the Birmingham metro area.
Nearly Four Decades of Local History
Founded in 1986, BioCryst maintained research operations in the Birmingham area for decades while growing into an international biotechnology company.
Although the Hoover facility is closing, company officials have said they plan to support employees affected by the transition. The layoffs also bring an end to one of the region’s longest-running pharmaceutical research operations.
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