Agios halts development of tebapivat for low-risk MDS after disappointing Phase 2b data

Agios Pharmaceuticals announced it will discontinue development of its pyruvate kinase activator tebapivat for patients with low-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). The decision follows the release of Phase 2b trial results that did not meet the company’s efficacy expectations.

The trial, which evaluated tebapivat in a subset of MDS patients, showed modest or subpar clinical outcomes compared with the predefined endpoints. As a result, Agios concluded that continuing the program would not be justified.

The company said it will refocus resources on other pipeline candidates and therapeutic areas. The move underscores the challenges of developing treatments for rare blood disorders and may affect investors’ view of Agios’s near-term growth prospects.