On February 14, 2019 Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: AGIO), a leader in the field of cellular metabolism to treat cancer and rare genetic diseases, reported business highlights and financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2018 (Press release, Agios Pharmaceuticals, FEB 14, 2019, View Source [SID1234533303]).

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In addition, Agios highlighted select 2019 corporate milestones and data presentations for its clinical development programs.

"I’m excited to join the Agios team on the heels of a transformational year for the company. During 2018, we launched our first wholly owned oncology medicine, expanded our clinical programs across both oncology and rare genetic diseases, and continued to advance our robust research pipeline," said Jackie Fouse, Ph.D. "We start 2019 with a strong foundation on which to build and with the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on patients’ lives and our business. Our objectives for this year focus on broadening the potential of our IDH inhibitors in AML and solid tumors, advancing mitapivat and AG-270 through clinical development, and remaining steadfast in our pursuit of great science."

KEY UPCOMING MILESTONES

The company plans to achieve the following key milestones in 2019:

Cancer:

Potential FDA approval of the supplemental new drug application (sNDA) for single agent TIBSOVO (ivosidenib) for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed AML with an IDH1 mutation who are not eligible for standard therapy and subsequent launch in this indication in the U.S.
Submit an sNDA to the FDA for TIBSOVO for second line or later IDH1 mutant cholangiocarcinoma by year-end.
Initiate a registration-enabling Phase 3 study of vorasidenib (AG-881) in low-grade glioma with an IDH1 mutation by year-end.
Determine recommended dose of AG-270, a first-in-class methionine adenosyltransferase 2a (MAT2A) inhibitor, in methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP)-deleted tumors; initiate expansion arms, including a single-agent arm in a variety of MTAP-deleted cancers and a combination arm in a solid tumor in the first half of 2019.
Initiate a Phase 1 dose-escalation trial of AG-636, an inhibitor of the metabolic enzyme dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), in lymphoma in the first half of 2019.
Rare Genetic Diseases:

Complete enrollment in two global pivotal trials for mitapivat in adults with pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency by year-end 2019:
ACTIVATE-T: A single-arm trial of approximately 20 regularly transfused patients
ACTIVATE: A 1:1 randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 80 patients who do not receive regular transfusions
Achieve proof-of-concept for mitapivat in thalassemia in the second half of 2019.
ANTICIPATED KEY 2019 DATA PRESENTATIONS

Updated data from the ongoing Phase 1 combination trial of TIBSOVO with azacitidine in patients with newly diagnosed AML with an IDH1 mutation to be presented at the 17th International Symposium on Acute Leukemias taking place February 24-27, 2019 in Munich.
Preclinical data for AG-270 accepted for presentation at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) (Free AACR Whitepaper) meeting taking place March 29-April 3, 2019 in Atlanta.
Data from the perioperative ‘window’ trial with TIBSOVO and vorasidenib in IDHm low-grade glioma submitted for presentation at the 2019 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting taking place May 31-June 4, 2019 in Chicago.
Topline data from the Phase 3 ClarIDHy study of TIBSOVO in IDH1 mutant second line or later cholangiocarcinoma to be reported in the first half and full data to be presented in the second half of 2019.
Data from the dose-escalation portion of the ongoing Phase 1 study of AG-270 in patients with MTAP-deleted tumors expected in the second half of 2019.
FOURTH QUARTER 2018 HIGHLIGHTS & RECENT PROGRESS

Submitted an sNDA to the FDA for TIBSOVO for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed AML with an IDH1 mutation who are not eligible for standard therapy.
Submitted and received validation for a Marketing Authorization Application to the European Medicines Agency for TIBSOVO for the treatment of adult patients with R/R AML with an IDH1 mutation.
Completed enrollment in the Phase 3 ClarIDHy study of TIBSOVO in IDH1 mutant second line or later cholangiocarcinoma.
Initiated a Phase 2 proof-of-concept trial of mitapivat in thalassemia.
Received FDA clearance of an IND application for AG-636, a DHODH inhibitor.
FOURTH QUARTER AND FULL YEAR 2018 FINANCIAL RESULTS

Revenue: Total revenue for the fourth quarter of 2018 was $30.0 million, which includes $18.4 million in collaboration revenue, $9.4 million of net product revenue from U.S. sales of TIBSOVO and $2.2 million in royalty revenue from net global sales of IDHIFA under our collaboration agreement with Celgene. This compares to $9.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2017, which included $8.6 million in collaboration revenue and $1.2 million in royalty revenue from net global sales of IDHIFA. Total revenue was $94.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to $43.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. The increases in revenue are primarily driven by net U.S. sales of TIBSOVO, additional collaboration revenue and royalty revenue from net U.S. sales of IDHIFA.

Cost of Sales: We began U.S. sales of TIBSOVO in the third quarter of 2018. Cost of sales were $0.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2018, and $1.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2018.

Research and Development (R&D) Expenses: R&D expenses were $93.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2018 compared to $77.2 million for the fourth quarter of 2017, and $341.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to $292.7 million for the comparable period in 2017. The increase in R&D expense was primarily attributable to start-up costs for the mitapivat pivotal program in PK deficiency and Phase 2 study in thalassemia and IND enabling activities for AG-636, our DHODH inhibitor. R&D expense also increased as a result of ongoing research efforts across our discovery platform programs.

Selling, General and Administrative (SG&A) Expenses: SG&A expenses were $31.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2018 compared to $22.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2017, and $114.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to $71.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2017. The increase in SG&A expense was primarily attributable to costs to support commercialization of TIBSOVO and personnel costs related to increased headcount.

Net Loss: Net loss was $91.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2018 compared to $88.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2017, and $346.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 was compared to a net loss of $314.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2017.

Cash Position and Guidance: Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of December 31, 2018 were $805.4 million compared to $567.8 million as of December 31, 2017. The change in cash was primarily driven by the net proceeds of $516.2 million from the January follow-on offering. The company expects that its cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of December 31, 2018, together with anticipated product and royalty revenue, anticipated interest income, and anticipated expense reimbursements under our collaboration and license agreements, but excluding any additional program-specific milestone payments, will enable the company to fund its anticipated operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements through at least the end of 2020.

CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION

Agios will host a conference call and live webcast with slides today at 8:00 a.m. ET to discuss fourth quarter and full year 2018 financial results and recent business activities. To participate in the conference call, please dial 1-877-377-7098 (domestic) or 1-631-291-4547 (international) and referring to conference ID 9886713. The live webcast can be accessed under "Events & Presentations" in the Investors 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.