Agios is a biopharmaceutical company at the forefront of one of the most exciting new areas of cancer research: cancer metabolism. Cancer metabolism represents a breakthrough understanding of how cancer cells become addicted to using more nutrients than normal cells to ensure their survival and growth. Over the past few decades cancer research has focused on complex tumor signaling originating from oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes; the new field of cancer metabolism shows many of these signals are actually modulating the metabolic functioning of cancer cells. As a result, the intersection of these two fields of research — cancer and metabolism — represents an important and novel approach to treating cancer. The new understanding of a fundamental mechanism of cancer survival represents a new, powerful Achilles’ Heel to target this deadly disease. Agios Pharmaceuticals is developing a deep pipeline of drug candidates that disrupt the growth and survival of cancer based on unique insights of the founders, scientific advisory board as well as building on decades of research in the fields of oncology and metabolism. The company’s initial focus is cancer, particularly targeting three key metabolic pathways — glycolysis (sugar metabolism), fatty acid metabolism, and autophagy (self-metabolism).  Agios’ primary focus is in oncology, but the company’s platform will also be applicable to other therapeutics areas including autoimmune, inflammatory and neurological diseases.

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