Agios Announces Closing of Oncology Business Sale to Servier

Agios Receives $1.8 Billion in Upfront Cash to Focus on Accelerating and Expanding its Genetically Defined Disease Portfolio

Agios Enters Into Agreement to Repurchase Approximately 10% of Its Outstanding Shares from Bristol-Myers Squibb for $344.5 Million

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: AGIO), a leader in the field of cellular metabolism to treat genetically defined diseases, today announced the closing of the sale of its commercial, clinical and research-stage oncology portfolio to Servier Pharmaceuticals, LLC, an independent global pharmaceutical company. The transaction was approved by Agios shareholders on March 25, 2021.

In consideration for its oncology portfolio, Agios received from Servier $1.8 billion in upfront cash and is eligible to receive an additional $200 million in a potential future milestone payment for vorasidenib, as well as 5% royalties on U.S. net sales of TIBSOVO (ivosidenib tablets) from sales after the closing through loss of exclusivity and 15% royalties on U.S. net sales of vorasidenib from the first commercial sale through loss of exclusivity.

“First, I want to thank each and every employee within the oncology franchise who helped create truly meaningful, differentiated therapies for patients over the past decade. With your expertise and Servier's deep commitment to its expanding oncology portfolio, we look forward to watching these programs flourish,” said Jackie Fouse, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Agios. “As we look ahead, Agios is poised for a bright and focused future as we seek to rapidly advance our genetically defined disease portfolio, delivering sustainable, long-term value to shareholders and superior outcomes for patients. In the near-term, mitapivat has the potential to be a blockbuster product with approvals in our three initial focus areas – pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency, thalassemia and sickle cell disease – and we have tremendous untapped potential for both the pyruvate kinase R (PKR) activation portfolio as well as our other preclinical assets.”

In addition, Agios today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMS) to repurchase 7,121,658 shares of Agios common stock held by BMS and its affiliates for an aggregate purchase price of $344.5 million, or $48.3785 per share, using the proceeds from the sale of the oncology business. As previously disclosed, the Agios board of directors authorized the company to repurchase up to $1.2 billion of its outstanding shares, using the proceeds from the sale of the oncology business. Following completion of the repurchase of shares from BMS, Agios expects to conduct the remaining $855.5 million of share repurchases over the next 12-18 months, including executing a meaningful portion of the planned repurchases by year-end through a combination of 10b5-1 plans and open market purchases.