Agios Reports Third Quarter 2015 Financial Results

– New AG-221 and AG-120 Data in Solid Tumors and Hematologic Malignancies to be Presented at AACR-NCI-EORTC and ASH Annual Meeting –

– R&D Day Highlights Included Initiation of AG-221 Phase 3 "IDHENTIFY" Study, Design of AG-221 and AG-120 Frontline Combination Studies, and Selection of Second PKR Activator, AG-519, for Clinical Development –

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 5, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:AGIO), a leader in the fields of cancer metabolism and rare genetic metabolic disorders, today reported business highlights and financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2015.

"We have made significant progress this year toward realizing our goal of what's possible for patients with our IDH inhibitors, by deploying a comprehensive development strategy of speed and breadth with AG-221 and AG-120 in AML and other cancers," said David Schenkein, M.D., chief executive officer at Agios. "In addition, we are pleased to have selected our fifth molecule, AG-519, for clinical development in PK deficiency. This coupled with DRIVE PK, our ongoing Phase 2 study of AG-348, may optimize our potential to help people with this rare genetic disorder."

KEY UPCOMING MILESTONES IN CANCER METABOLISM

Agios anticipates the following milestones from its IDH clinical development programs in collaboration with Celgene:

AG-221: a first-in-class, oral, selective, potent inhibitor of the mutated IDH2 protein

AG-120: a first-in-class, oral, selective, potent inhibitor of the mutated IDH1 protein

AG-221 and AG-120 front-line AML combination trials

KEY UPCOMING MILESTONES IN RARE GENETIC METABOLIC DISORDERS

AG-348: a novel, first-in-class, oral activator of pyruvate kinase-R (PKR) for the treatment of pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency

AG-519: a novel, oral activator of PKR for the treatment of PK deficiency

RECENT DEVELOPMENT UPDATES IN CANCER METABOLISM

Agios has provided the following updates on its clinical development programs in collaboration with Celgene:

AG-221

AG-120

AG-881: a brain-penetrant, first-in-class, oral, potent pan-inhibitor of the mutated IDH1 and IDH2 proteins

RECENT DEVELOPMENT UPDATES IN RARE GENETIC DISORDERS OF METABOLISM

AG-348

AG-519

THIRD QUARTER 2015 FINANCIAL RESULTS

Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of September 30, 2015 were $408.0 million, compared to $467.4 million as of December 31, 2014. The decrease was driven by cash used to fund operating activities of approximately $101.2 million, which was offset by funding of approximately $54.8 million made by Celgene during the nine months ended September 30, 2015 related to our collaboration agreements.

Collaboration revenue was $5.5 million for the third quarter of 2015, compared to $33.9 million for the comparable period in 2014. In July 2014, the company amended its collaboration agreement with Celgene. As a result, for the third quarter of 2014 the company recognized a total of $25.9 million under the previous accounting guidance and upon the modification in addition to $8.0 million in revenue subsequent to the modification through September 30, 2014.

Research and development (R&D) expense was $36.0 million, including $4.9 million of stock- based compensation expense in the third quarter of 2015, compared to $25.5 million, including $1.4 million in stock-based compensation expense for the comparable period in 2014. The increase in R&D expense was primarily due to increased costs to support advancement of the company's lead investigational medicines toward later-stage development.

General and administrative (G&A) expense was $9.9 million, including $4.5 million of stock-based compensation expense, in the third quarter of 2015, compared to $5.2 million, including $1.4 million of stock-based compensation expense, for the comparable period in 2014. The increase in G&A expense was largely due to increased headcount and other professional expenses to support growing operations.

Net loss for the third quarter of 2015 was $40.3 million, compared to net income of $3.7 million for the comparable period in 2014. The third quarter of 2014 includes additional revenue recognition related to the amendment of the company's collaboration agreement with Celgene.

FINANCIAL GUIDANCE FOR THE FULL YEAR 2015

Agios is reiterating that it expects to end 2015 with more than $350.0 million of cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities. The anticipated year end 2015 cash position does not include any additional program-specific milestone payments. Agios expects that its cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities would be sufficient to fund its operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements until late 2017.

CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION

Agios will host a conference call and live webcast with slides today at 8:00 a.m. ET to discuss the third quarter 2015 financial results and recent business activities. To participate in the conference call, please dial (877) 377-7098 (domestic) or (631) 291-4547 (international) and refer to conference ID 66586914. The live webcast can be accessed under "Events & Presentations" in the Investors & Media section of the company's website at www.agios.com. The archived webcast will be available on the company's website beginning approximately two hours after the event.

About Agios

Agios is focused on discovering and developing novel investigational medicines to treat cancer and rare genetic metabolic disorders through scientific leadership in the field of cellular metabolism. In addition to an active research and discovery pipeline across both therapeutic areas, Agios has multiple first-in-class investigational medicines in clinical and/or preclinical development. All Agios programs focus on genetically identified patient populations, leveraging our knowledge of metabolism, biology and genomics. For more information, please visit the company's website at agios.com.

About Agios/Celgene Collaboration

AG-221, AG-120 and AG-881 are part of Agios' global strategic collaboration with Celgene Corporation. Under the terms of the collaboration, Celgene has worldwide development and commercialization rights for AG-221. Agios continues to conduct clinical development activities within the AG-221 development program and is eligible to receive up to $120 million in payments on achievement of certain milestones and royalties on net sales. For AG-120, Agios retains U.S. development and commercialization rights. Celgene has an exclusive license outside the United States. Celgene is eligible to receive royalties on net sales in the U.S. Agios is eligible to receive royalties on net sales outside the U.S. and up to $120 million in payments on achievement of certain milestones. For AG-881, the companies have a joint worldwide development and 50/50 profit share collaboration, and Agios is eligible to receive regulatory milestone payments of up to $70 million.