Agios Pharmaceuticals has been shrinking its R&D headcount over the course of 2026 as the commercial-stage company looks to eliminate more than 100 roles by year-end.
The aim is to reduce the biopharma’s R&D workforce by more than 35% compared with 2025 levels, with the associated cost savings expected to be realized in 2027, according to the company. Agios entered 2026 with 539 full-time employees based in the U.S. and Switzerland.
The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company had $907 million in cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities at the end of September, with its anemia medicine mitapivat, sold as Pyrukynd and Aqvesme, generating $55.4 million in worldwide net revenue in the third quarter.
The company is now awaiting an FDA approval decision on mitapivat in sickle cell disease (SCD), even though a phase 3 study last year missed one of its two primary endpoints.
At the time of that readout, Agios warned that it was planning to take “proactive steps to reduce operating expenses” to support its financial position ahead of another potential launch.
Since then, the FDA has pushed back its SCD approval decision by three months while it considers additional safety data submitted by Agios in response to the agency's request.
In Thursday morning’s earnings release, Agios CEO Brian Goff described SCD as “our largest indication opportunity with mitapivat.”
“Our conviction in mitapivat for patients with sickle cell disease is grounded in the robust efficacy and safety data generated to date and we are launch-ready ahead of our PDUFA goal date of February 1, 2027,” the CEO added. “With this commercial infrastructure, alongside a strong balance sheet and a disciplined operating model, Agios is well positioned for sustained growth as a focused, rare hematology company.”
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