Leerink: Agios mitapivat Receives FDA Priority Review
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 11 hours ago
0mins
Leerink notes that Agios Pharmaceuticals announced the FDA granted Priority Review for the sNDA for mitapivat in sickle cell disease with a PDUFA date of 11/1/26 suggesting imminent approval. The Phase 3 REIGNITE trial is the confirmatory study required under the accelerated approval pathway and the agency requires that the trial be "underway" at the time of accelerated approval, with the definition of "underway" agreed upon by the agency and Agios. The firm sees the Priority Review designation as a positive sign given that Priority Review is granted to applications which, if approved, would demonstrate significant improvements of serious conditions. Leerink models peak U.S. sales of $554M for mitapivat in SCD with a 60% probability of success. The firm has an Outperform rating on the shares.
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Analyst Views on AGIO
Wall Street analysts forecast AGIO stock price to fall
9 Analyst Rating
6 Buy
3 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 37.580
Low
25.00
Averages
36.14
High
62.00
Current: 37.580
Low
25.00
Averages
36.14
High
62.00
About AGIO
Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company. The Company is focused on developing and delivering transformative therapies for patients living with rare diseases. It markets a first-in-class pyruvate kinase (PK) activator for adults with PK deficiency, the first disease-modifying therapy for debilitating hemolytic anemia. Its lead product candidate in its portfolio, PYRUKYND (mitapivat), is an activator of both wild-type and mutant pyruvate kinase, or PK, enzymes for the potential treatment of hemolytic anemias. It is also developing tebapivat, a novel PK activator, for the potential treatment of lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes, or LR MDS, and hemolytic anemias; AG-181, its phenylalanine hydroxylase, or PAH, stabilizer for the potential treatment of phenylketonuria, or PKU; and AG-236, an siRNA in-licensed from Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., targeting the transmembrane serine protease 6, or TMPRSS6 gene for the potential treatment of polycythemia vera, or PV.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Agios Pharmaceuticals Receives FDA Priority Review for Pyrukynd Expansion
- FDA Priority Review: Agios Pharmaceuticals' Pyrukynd application has received FDA priority review for label expansion in sickle cell disease, marking a strategic advancement in the company's blood disorder portfolio.
- Significant Market Opportunity: The supplemental New Drug Application is supported by data from the RISE UP Phase 2 and Phase 3 trials, with a projected market opportunity exceeding $10 billion by 2030, indicating strong commercial potential.
- Target Action Date: The FDA has set November 1, 2026, as the target action date for this application, with Agios expressing intent to collaborate closely with the FDA to become the first company to offer an oral PK activator for sickle cell disease.
- Product Line Expansion: Agios currently markets Pyrukynd for adults with blood disorders, further solidifying its position in the rare hematology market and addressing unmet patient needs.
See More
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- FDA Priority Review: Agios Pharmaceuticals announced that its supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for mitapivat as a treatment for sickle cell disease has received Priority Review from the FDA, indicating positive progress in the company's drug development efforts.
- Accelerated Approval Pathway: The application was submitted under the FDA's accelerated approval pathway, with a target action date set for November 1, 2026, providing the company with an opportunity for expedited market entry that could lead to significant revenue growth.
- Clinical Trial Support: The sNDA submission is supported by data from Phase 2 and Phase 3 RISE UP clinical trials involving patients aged 16 and older with sickle cell disease, demonstrating the drug's potential efficacy and enhancing market confidence in its therapeutic benefits.
- Stock Price Reaction: Following this announcement, Agios shares rose nearly 2% in pre-market trading, reflecting investor optimism about the company's future prospects and potentially attracting more investor interest in its stock.
See More
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- Investment Recommendations: Bank of America and TD Cowen have recommended several small-cap stocks, including Freshpet and Omnicell, suggesting these companies in healthcare technology, retail, and biotech are well-positioned for growth, making them attractive for investors looking to capitalize on market opportunities.
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- Reduction in Transfusion Burden: New analyses revealed a 41.1% reduction in the proportion of patients requiring blood transfusions in the mitapivat group, alongside a 55.9% decrease in average red blood cell units transfused per patient, which not only alleviates treatment burden but may also reduce dependence on supportive care.
- Clinically Meaningful Benefits: Among hemoglobin responders in the mitapivat group, there was a 26% reduction in the annualized rate of sickle cell pain crises and a 34% decrease in related hospitalizations, along with a 53% reduction in emergency room visits, indicating significant improvements in patient quality of life.
- Well-Tolerated Safety Profile: Mitapivat exhibited a safety profile consistent with previous trials, with similar rates of treatment-emergent adverse events between the mitapivat and placebo groups, demonstrating its good tolerability in patients with sickle cell disease.
See More
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- Clinical Data Support: Cevidoplenib has demonstrated clinically meaningful results in Phase 2 trials, successfully improving platelet counts while maintaining a manageable safety profile, positioning it as a potential best-in-class treatment for ITP.
- Financial Terms: Under the agreement, Oscotec will receive an upfront payment of $25 million, along with up to $140 million in development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments, plus tiered royalties on net sales, which will support Agios's capital allocation strategy.
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See More
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- Upfront and Milestone Payments: Oscotec will receive a $25 million upfront payment and is eligible for up to $140 million in future payments tied to development, regulatory, and commercial milestones, incentivizing collaboration in the drug development process.
- Clinical Trial Progress: Cevidoplenib demonstrated good tolerability in a global 12-week Phase 2 trial, where, despite not achieving statistical significance on the primary endpoint, clinically meaningful platelet responses were observed on multiple secondary endpoints, with plans to advance to Phase 3 development in the first half of 2028.
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See More
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- FDA Priority Review: Agios Pharmaceuticals' Pyrukynd application has received FDA priority review for label expansion in sickle cell disease, marking a strategic advancement in the company's blood disorder portfolio.
- Significant Market Opportunity: The supplemental New Drug Application is supported by data from the RISE UP Phase 2 and Phase 3 trials, with a projected market opportunity exceeding $10 billion by 2030, indicating strong commercial potential.
- Target Action Date: The FDA has set November 1, 2026, as the target action date for this application, with Agios expressing intent to collaborate closely with the FDA to become the first company to offer an oral PK activator for sickle cell disease.
- Product Line Expansion: Agios currently markets Pyrukynd for adults with blood disorders, further solidifying its position in the rare hematology market and addressing unmet patient needs.
See More
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- FDA Priority Review: Agios Pharmaceuticals announced that its supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for mitapivat as a treatment for sickle cell disease has received Priority Review from the FDA, indicating positive progress in the company's drug development efforts.
- Accelerated Approval Pathway: The application was submitted under the FDA's accelerated approval pathway, with a target action date set for November 1, 2026, providing the company with an opportunity for expedited market entry that could lead to significant revenue growth.
- Clinical Trial Support: The sNDA submission is supported by data from Phase 2 and Phase 3 RISE UP clinical trials involving patients aged 16 and older with sickle cell disease, demonstrating the drug's potential efficacy and enhancing market confidence in its therapeutic benefits.
- Stock Price Reaction: Following this announcement, Agios shares rose nearly 2% in pre-market trading, reflecting investor optimism about the company's future prospects and potentially attracting more investor interest in its stock.
See More
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- Strong Small-Cap Performance: Small-cap stocks are on track for their best performance in over 30 years, with the Russell 2000 index reaching 3,033.75, up 21% in 2026, indicating robust market momentum and the potential for the best first half since 1991.
- Investment Recommendations: Bank of America and TD Cowen have recommended several small-cap stocks, including Freshpet and Omnicell, suggesting these companies in healthcare technology, retail, and biotech are well-positioned for growth, making them attractive for investors looking to capitalize on market opportunities.
- Freshpet's Growth Potential: With only a 2.7% share of the pet food market, Freshpet is expected to benefit from the 'pet humanization' trend, and TD Cowen has a buy rating with an $80 price target, indicating about 50% upside potential.
- Omnicell's Product Innovation: Omnicell is set to exceed expectations with new pharmacy automation products like Titan XT and OmniSphere, and Bank of America has a buy rating with a $70 price target, suggesting a 77% upside potential.
See More
Mitapivat Shows Significant Hemoglobin Improvement in Sickle Cell Disease
- Significant Efficacy Improvement: In the 52-week RISE UP Phase 3 trial, mitapivat demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in hemoglobin response, with 40.6% of patients achieving a ≥1.0 g/dL increase compared to placebo, highlighting its potential in treating sickle cell disease.
- Reduction in Transfusion Burden: New analyses revealed a 41.1% reduction in the proportion of patients requiring blood transfusions in the mitapivat group, alongside a 55.9% decrease in average red blood cell units transfused per patient, which not only alleviates treatment burden but may also reduce dependence on supportive care.
- Clinically Meaningful Benefits: Among hemoglobin responders in the mitapivat group, there was a 26% reduction in the annualized rate of sickle cell pain crises and a 34% decrease in related hospitalizations, along with a 53% reduction in emergency room visits, indicating significant improvements in patient quality of life.
- Well-Tolerated Safety Profile: Mitapivat exhibited a safety profile consistent with previous trials, with similar rates of treatment-emergent adverse events between the mitapivat and placebo groups, demonstrating its good tolerability in patients with sickle cell disease.
See More
Agios Pharmaceuticals Enters Exclusive License Agreement with Oscotec for Cevidoplenib
- Exclusive License Agreement: Agios Pharmaceuticals has entered into a worldwide exclusive license agreement with Oscotec to develop and commercialize Cevidoplenib, a next-generation SYK inhibitor aimed at blocking signaling pathways in immune-mediated diseases, particularly immune thrombocytopenia (ITP).
- Clinical Data Support: Cevidoplenib has demonstrated clinically meaningful results in Phase 2 trials, successfully improving platelet counts while maintaining a manageable safety profile, positioning it as a potential best-in-class treatment for ITP.
- Financial Terms: Under the agreement, Oscotec will receive an upfront payment of $25 million, along with up to $140 million in development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments, plus tiered royalties on net sales, which will support Agios's capital allocation strategy.
- Future Development Plans: Agios plans to advance Cevidoplenib into Phase 3 development for ITP in the first half of 2028, further expanding its rare hematology portfolio, reflecting the company's strategic focus on rare diseases.
See More
Agios Secures Exclusive Global Rights to Novel SYK Inhibitor
- Exclusive Global Rights: Agios has entered into an agreement with Oscotec to obtain exclusive global rights to develop and commercialize cevidoplenib, a novel oral SYK inhibitor, which is expected to unlock up to $1 billion in peak U.S. sales potential, significantly enhancing its rare hematology portfolio.
- Upfront and Milestone Payments: Oscotec will receive a $25 million upfront payment and is eligible for up to $140 million in future payments tied to development, regulatory, and commercial milestones, incentivizing collaboration in the drug development process.
- Clinical Trial Progress: Cevidoplenib demonstrated good tolerability in a global 12-week Phase 2 trial, where, despite not achieving statistical significance on the primary endpoint, clinically meaningful platelet responses were observed on multiple secondary endpoints, with plans to advance to Phase 3 development in the first half of 2028.
- Strategic Focus and Investment: Agios' CEO noted that this licensing agreement is a natural extension of their therapeutic focus and expertise, aiming to address the urgent need for new treatment options for ITP patients while maintaining a strong focus on executing their 2026 strategic priorities.
See More
