Job losses in the US pharmaceutical industry fell to 255 in August, down from 321 in August 2009 and among the lowest levels since 2007, according to a survey by outplacement consultants Challenger, Gray and Christmas of Chicago, Illinois. By comparison, the industry lost 2,023 jobs in July, 830 in June and 6,943 in May. Mergers, failed drug candidates and drugs coming off patent caused the deeper cuts in May and July, the company says. Partly due to the large cuts already made, year-on-year job losses in the sector are down 29.7% from 2009; mergers in 2009, between Pfizer and Wyeth, and Merck and Schering-Plough, accounted for two-thirds of cuts this year, say the consultants.