<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0206</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2018-07-12</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001098972</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AGENUS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AGEN</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001745285</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Kearns Evan</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>AGENUS INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>3 FORBES ROAK</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LEXINGTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02421</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>VP, General Counsel</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>12915</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option, Right to buy</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>2.85</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2016-10-06</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2024-10-06</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>18750</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option, Right to buy</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>5.04</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2015-05-12</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2025-02-12</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5833</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option, Right to buy</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>4.16</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2017-03-31</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2026-03-31</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>20000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option, Right to buy</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>3.77</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2018-03-31</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2027-03-31</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>25000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option, Right to buy</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>5.65</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2019-03-02</value>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2028-03-02</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>45000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option, Right to buy</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>2.21</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2019-07-12</value>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2028-07-12</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>50000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Options awarded in accordance with the Agenus Inc. Amended and Restated 2009 Equity Incentive Plan and vests in 6,250 shares in annual installments beginning October 6, 2016.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Options awarded in accordance with the Agenus Inc. Amended and Restated 2009 Equity Incentive Plan and vests in 12 equal quarterly installments beginning May 12, 3015.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Options awarded in accordance with the Agenus Inc. Amended and Restated 2009 Equity Incentive Plan and vests in three years with one-third vesting on March 31, 2017 and the balance in equal quarterly installments thereafter.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Options awarded in accordance with the Agenus Inc. Amended and Restated 2009 Equity Incentive Plan and vests one-third on the one-year anniversary of the grant date, March 31, 2017, with the balance vesting in equal quarterly installments thereafter.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Options granted March 2, 2018 subject to shareholder approval, which was obtained at the Company's annual shareholder meeting on June 20, 2018.   Options awarded in accordance with the Agenus Inc. Amended and Restated 2009 Equity Incentive Plan, and vests over three years with one-third vesting on March 2, 2019 and the balance vesting in equal quarterly installments thereafter.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Options awarded in accordance with the Agenus Inc. Amended and Restated 2009 Equity Incentive plan and vests over three years with one-third of the award vesting on the one-year anniversary of the grant date and the balance vesting in equal quarterly installments thereafter.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Christine M. Klaskin, by Power of Attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-07-13</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
