National Resilience Scales Back Operations Amid Industry Demand Shortfall

National Resilience, a well-funded manufacturing startup launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, has announced plans to significantly reduce its operations due to a mismatch between its rapid capacity expansion and current industry demand. The company, which has raised over $2 billion in funding since its inception in 2020, aims to streamline its facilities and focus on high-growth segments of the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector.

Facility Closures and Operational Restructuring

National Resilience CEO William Marth revealed in a letter to customers that the company will wind down operations at six facilities across California, Massachusetts, and Florida. The affected sites include:

• Three Massachusetts facilities in Bedford, Allston, and Marlborough
• Two California plants in San Diego and Fremont
• One facility in Alachua, Florida

The company plans to concentrate its resources on its main hub in Cincinnati and its Toronto operations. These centers will focus on what Resilience identifies as high-growth segments, including cell-based medicines, biologics, and aseptic drug products.

Financial Measures and Future Plans

To support this restructuring effort, Resilience has secured an additional $250 million in bridge financing. The company is also pursuing debt funding to fuel its longer-term growth plans, signaling a shift in its financial strategy.

This move comes after a series of previous cost-cutting measures. In 2023, Resilience laid off more than 200 employees in the Boston area and over 100 at a facility in Florida. The company also sold several facilities to a real estate group in a sale-leaseback arrangement to raise cash. More recently, in early 2025, Resilience cut 120 staff at its North Carolina plant, formerly owned by Bluebird bio.

Industry Context and Resilience's Evolution

Resilience's decision to scale back operations reflects broader challenges in the biotechnology sector, particularly affecting gene and cell therapy developers. The company's rapid expansion, which included acquisitions of facilities from Bluebird bio and Sanofi, as well as partnerships with industry giants like Moderna and AstraZeneca, appears to have outpaced the market's capacity to absorb its services.

Despite these setbacks, Resilience maintains a significant presence in the pharmaceutical manufacturing landscape. The company's focus on high-growth segments suggests a strategic pivot to align with evolving industry needs while managing its extensive infrastructure more efficiently.