Agios Cuts Over 100 R&D Roles as FDA Pushes Mitapivat Sickle Cell Decision to February
- Agios is cutting more than 100 R&D roles, over a third of that team, to focus on the mitapivat franchise, with about $11 million of charges this year and savings from 2027.
- The FDA moved the sickle cell disease decision date from November 1 to February 1, 2027 after asking about a safety protocol and whether a REMS is needed. Cash stood at $907 million at quarter end.
💡 Points Based on public reports
Cutting research while the lead indication's review is extended is a bet that mitapivat alone carries the company; profitability is guided only for 2028. A possible REMS would matter commercially more than the delay itself, since sickle cell uptake depends on easy prescribing, and the next question is what pipeline survives the cut.