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Agenus (NASDAQ: AGEN) taps CEO Garo Armen as interim finance chief

Filing Impact
(Moderate)
Filing Sentiment
(Neutral)
Form Type
8-K

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Agenus Inc. reported leadership changes in its finance function. Effective January 8, 2026, the Board appointed Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Garo Armen, age 72, to also serve as interim Chief Financial Officer and Principal Financial Officer. There were no new or modified compensation arrangements tied to this added role, and he continues to receive his base salary and any potential bonus payments in Agenus stock rather than cash.

Also effective January 8, 2026, the Board appointed Austin Charette, age 37, currently Senior Director of Financial Reporting and Compliance, as Principal Accounting Officer. He has been with Agenus since 2017 in various financial reporting and compliance roles, following prior experience at Deloitte & Touche LLP. The company states there are no new compensation arrangements or related-party relationships connected to either appointment.

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Insights

Agenus consolidates senior finance duties under existing leaders.

Agenus assigned its Chairman and CEO, Dr. Garo Armen, to also act as interim CFO and Principal Financial Officer, while elevating long-time finance manager Austin Charette to Principal Accounting Officer. This keeps key finance responsibilities with experienced insiders rather than bringing in external hires.

The filing highlights that neither executive received new or modified compensation arrangements for these roles, and both are disclosed as having no relevant family or related-party relationships. From a governance and controls perspective, the combined CEO/CFO role is described as interim, with detailed mention of Charette’s responsibility for external reporting, technical accounting, internal controls, and new standard implementation.

Future disclosures in periodic reports may clarify how long this interim CFO structure remains in place and whether the company later appoints a separate permanent CFO.

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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): January 08, 2026

 

 

AGENUS INC.

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

Delaware

000-29089

06-1562417

(State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation)

(Commission File Number)

(IRS Employer
Identification No.)

 

 

 

 

 

3 Forbes Road

 

Lexington, Massachusetts

 

02421

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: 781 674-4400

 

 

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:


Title of each class

 

Trading
Symbol(s)

 


Name of each exchange on which registered

Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share

 

AGEN

 

The Nasdaq Global Market

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.

 


Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

Appointment of Principal Financial Officer

 

Effective January 8, 2026, Agenus Inc.'s (the “Company”) Board of Directors appointed Dr. Garo Armen, the Company's current Chairman and Chief Executive Officer to serve as the Company's interim Chief Financial Officer ("CFO") and Principal Financial Officer.

 

Dr. Armen, age 72, co-founded the Company in 1994. Under his leadership, Agenus has been advancing breakthrough scientific technologies and immunotherapeutic products. In addition, Dr. Armen oversaw the successful restructuring of the biopharmaceutical company Elan Corporation, plc, where he served as Chairman of the Board of Directors. Dr. Armen began his research career at Brookhaven National Laboratory subsequent to which he made a transition to Wall Street, as an analyst and investment banker at EF Hutton and then at Dean Witter Reynolds (now Morgan Stanley). Dr. Armen received his PhD in physical chemistry from the City University of New York.

 

There were no new arrangements or modifications to existing arrangements entered into with Dr. Armen in connection with his designation as the Company’s interim CFO and Principal Financial Officer. Dr. Armen continues to receive his base salary and any potential bonus payments in Agenus stock rather than cash.

 

The designation of Dr. Armen to serve as the Company’s interim CFO and Principal Financial Officer was not made pursuant to any arrangement or understanding with respect to any other person. In addition, Dr. Armen does not have any family relationships with any of the Company’s directors or executive officers and is not a party to any transactions listed in Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

 

Appointment of Principal Accounting Officer

 

Also effective January 8, 2026, the Company's Board of Directors appointed Austin Charette, the Company's current Senior Director, Financial Reporting and Compliance, to serve as the Company's Principal Accounting Officer.

 

Mr. Charette, age 37, joined the Company in August 2017 and has served as Senior Director, Financial Reporting and Compliance since January 2026 where he is responsible for the Company's external reporting, technical accounting, internal controls and implementation of new accounting standards. Prior to his current position, Mr. Charette served in multiple roles of increasing responsibility in the Company's financial reporting and compliance function. Prior to joining Agenus, Mr. Charette served in roles of increasing responsibility within the audit and assurance practice of Deloitte & Touche LLP from September 2013 to August 2017. Mr. Charette earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems from Roger Williams University and both a Master of Science in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration from Northeastern University.

 

There were no new arrangements or modifications to existing arrangements entered into with Mr. Charette in connection with his designation as the Company’s Principal Accounting Officer.

 

The designation of Mr. Charette to serve as the Company’s Principal Accounting Officer was not made pursuant to any arrangement or understanding with respect to any other person. In addition, Mr. Charette does not have any family relationships with any of the Company’s directors or executive officers and is not a party to any transactions listed in Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date:

January 14, 2026

By:

/s/ Garo H. Armen

 

 

 

Garo H. Armen, Chairman and CEO

 


FAQ

What leadership changes did Agenus (AGEN) announce in this 8-K filing?

The Board appointed Dr. Garo Armen, the current Chairman and CEO, as interim Chief Financial Officer and Principal Financial Officer, and named Austin Charette as Principal Accounting Officer, both effective January 8, 2026.

Who is Dr. Garo Armen, the new interim CFO of Agenus (AGEN)?

Dr. Garo Armen, age 72, co-founded Agenus in 1994 and has led the company’s development of immunotherapeutic products. He previously oversaw the restructuring of Elan Corporation, plc, and began his career at Brookhaven National Laboratory before working on Wall Street as an analyst and investment banker.

Did Agenus change Dr. Armen’s compensation when appointing him interim CFO?

No. The filing states there were no new arrangements or modifications to existing arrangements for Dr. Armen in connection with his designation as interim CFO and Principal Financial Officer, and he continues to receive base salary and any potential bonus payments in Agenus stock rather than cash.

Who is Austin Charette, Agenus’s new Principal Accounting Officer?

Austin Charette, age 37, joined Agenus in August 2017 and has served as Senior Director, Financial Reporting and Compliance. He oversees external reporting, technical accounting, internal controls, and implementation of new accounting standards, and previously worked in Deloitte & Touche LLP’s audit and assurance practice.

Are there any related-party or family relationships tied to these Agenus appointments?

The company states that neither Dr. Armen nor Mr. Charette has any family relationships with the company’s directors or executive officers and that they are not parties to any transactions listed in Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

Were any new employment agreements created for Agenus’s new Principal Accounting Officer?

No. The filing specifies there were no new arrangements or modifications to existing arrangements with Mr. Charette in connection with his designation as Principal Accounting Officer.
Agenus

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Biotechnology
Biological Products, (no Disgnostic Substances)
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United States
LEXINGTON