April 2026

After a quieter start to the year, the market feels noticeably different: more roles opening, more companies moving with urgency, and more candidates juggling multiple offers. Dare we say, the market is back! 

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TRENDS:

Here’s what we’re seeing in the biotech hiring landscape right now

A Candidate Driven Market

The balance of power is tilting back toward candidates. More professionals are reaching final stages with multiple offers in hand, which means companies can’t rely on process alone to win.

Candidate leverage is back –

More candidates are entering final stages with multiple opportunities in play. Companies need a clear, compelling story around the role, team, and upside early in the process.

Speed, the competitive advantage –

Candidates are moving through several processes at once. Fast feedback, tight interview loops, and clear next steps can be the difference between winning and losing talent.

Money isn’t everything –

Compensation is only one part of the decision. Negotiations need to consider things like title, growth, equity, flexibility – all other elements come into play.

Pipelines in Motion

Biotech M&A is picking up with 12 acquisitions over the last 30 days! Key deals this month include:

CHIESI → KALVISTA PHARMA

for a commercially validated, differentiated asset in a high-value rare disease market.

LILLY → KELONIA THERAPEUTICS

to strengthen their advanced therapy portfolio and gene delivery platform.

UCB → NEURONA

to enter the next wave of neuroscience (cell therapy)

NEUROCRINE → SOLENO

to scale a de-risked, first-in-class rare disease drug that’s already selling.

Trimming Their Trials

If the increase in M&A activity wasn’t jarring enough for you, there have been 2 workforce reductions reported this month. We haven’t seen numbers this low since we started writing this newsletter.

REPLIMMUNE (Woburn, MA)

Releases an additional 160+ employees following another FDA rejection.

Things have shifted overnight. It is a candidate market once more.

ASTELLAS PHARMA (Seattle, WA)

The company is closing it’s cell therapy unit in Seattle leaving 55 jobless

Things have shifted overnight. It is a candidate market once more.

DIVING DEEPER INTO JANUARY

 Offers for the month:

• SENIOR MANAGER, REGULATORY AFFAIRS

  • Base Salary: $210,00 

  • Annual Bonus: 17% 

  • Equity: 8,000 stock option units

  • Sign on: $8,000 

  • Location: South San Francisco, CA 

CROWNED CANDIDATES:

Since the market is craving "Execution Experts," we’ve selected two standout profiles this month:

Regulatory Pick (Candidate #5492)  

• Title: Director, Regulatory Affairs (clinical strategy) 

• Global regulatory lead w/ extensive oncology experience (HemOnc) 

• Expertise: Late-stage oncology and a strong track record of successful NDA and sNDA approvals.

Clinical Pick (Candidate #11511)

• Title: Senior Medical Director, Clinical Development  

• MD, PhD (Board-certified Neurologist  

• Expertise: Clinical Study Lead for late-stage neuromuscular programs  

ACTIVE SEARCHES

REGULATORY AFFAIRS 

• Senior Vice President/Vice President, Regulatory Affairs – Oncology (San Diego, CA) 

• Senior Director, Regulatory Affairs – Oncology (Seattle, WA) 

• Associate Director, Regulatory Affairs – Rare Disease (South San Francisco, CA) 

• Senior Manager, Regulatory Affairs – Rare Disease (South San Francisco, CA) 

CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 

• Chief Medical Officer – Oncology (Remote West Coast) 

• Chief Medical Officer – Immunology/Inflammatory (Remote USA) 

• Senior Medical Director, Clinical Development – Neurology (South San Francisco, CA) 

• Senior Medical Director, Clinical Development – Surgery + Transplant (Remote USA) 

PHARMACOVIGILANCE & SAFETY 

• Senior Director, PV & Safety (non-MD) – Autoimmune (Remote West Coast) 

• Senior Director, PV & Safety (MD) – Autoimmune (Remote West Coast) 
  

NEW TO OUR TRIBE

We welcomed two new clients into the Trebla Tribe this month: 

ACELOT

An AI-driven biotech company developing small-molecule drugs to treat neurodegenerative diseases.

BLOSSOMHILL THERAPEUTICS, INC

A 60-person clinical-stage biotech company designing next-generation small-molecule medicines to treat cancer and autoimmune diseases.

T R I B E

Here’s what the Trebla team’s been doing off the clock

The Trebla crew is officially out of hibernation and into the wild.

May kicked things off by heading south of the border with Nat, swapping Canadian chill for sun-soaked days, strong margaritas, and more tacos than she can count. Brandon followed with his own travels south for a long weekend escape to Tybee Island for a few rounds of frisbee golf. And finally, Dakota’s walk through Dumbo, quickly became a moment she’ll never forget.