HR and Management Nightmare - Anonymous employee Agensys Employee Review

1.0
Oct 26, 2016
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Cafe and gym onsite are about the only perks of working here

Cons

CEO Sef Kurstjens has zero respect for his employees or what they contribute to the company. First he completely ignored me when I was trying to make small talk while I was seated next to him at the holiday party that he then scrapped within a year of taking over. He also called the Manufacturing personnel "crank turners" (his words exactly) at a luncheon designed to improve his likability. Lastly he has done away with all company functions and extracurricular events. HR is unhelpful in resolving conflicts and acts above the "law" while making completely inappropriate remarks that would be a fire-able offense if any other employee had said them. The department I worked for was consistently treated like second class employees, where most of the soft benefits (half day Fridays) didn't apply to us. Management is ineffective in their role and act solely to cover their butts. Additionally I was used to cover 3 different departments in my time there but was never given the opportunity to interview, transfer departments or advance my career during my 8+ years there. Funny that I'd be used across these multiple departments, sometimes on multiple occasions for the same department, yet was never granted an interview when I applied for openings in said departments.

Explore other reviews about Agensys

5.0
Oct 1, 2025
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great location, pay, and acquired tech/ip. They’ll be successful forever. Not toxic and no drama whatsoever.

Cons

What cons? You must be insane

1.0
Aug 4, 2017
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Coworkers were great, like a family. Gym was a good benefit. On site cafe was nice. Great surrounding area.

Cons

Astellas is shutting down Agensys and laying everyone off. They state that this decision is about innovation, but they were not doing any innovation on their own. It's their business practice to buy up companies and drugs as they see fit, and then lay waste to employees and their families by laying off people en masse. We were doing great work - WE WERE BEING INNOVATIVE. We had products in the pipeline and in clinical trials that were promising. Our lead product candidate (Enfortumab Vedotin - Google it) was doing great. When it eventually becomes a product, I'm sure they will shout out to the world about how they great they are - NOPE. We did that on our own. That target and antibody predates their purchase of Agensys. Our licensing agreement with Seattle Genetics predates their purchase of Agensys. But I guess it doesn't matter now. If you're reading this, it's too late. Agensys started as a small biotech startup 20 years ago, and it will die at the age of 20. If Astellas purchases your company, start updating your resume - they will rape your IP and toss you to the side. They did with OSI Pharma, Maxygen, Perseid, and now us, at Agensys. Probably others overseas that I don't know of. It was a good run.

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