SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., June 11, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cytokinetics, (Nasdaq:CYTK) announced today that a poster presentation on the company’s fast skeletal muscle activator, CK-2127107, will be presented at the 19th International SMA Researcher Meeting to be held during the 2015 Annual SMA ConferenceJune 18-20, 2015 at the Westin Crown Center in Kansas City, MO. Cytokinetics is developing CK-2127107 in collaboration with Astellas Pharma Inc. (“Astellas,” Tokyo: 4503).
Title: Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of the Selective Fast Skeletal Muscle Troponin Activator, CK-2127107
Presenter: Andrew Wolff, MD, FACC, Chief Medical Officer, Cytokinetics
Date: Thursday, June 18, 2015
Session Time: 4:15-6:15 PM
About CK-2127107
Skeletal muscle contractility is driven by the sarcomere, the fundamental unit of skeletal muscle contraction. It is a highly ordered cytoskeletal structure composed of several key proteins. Skeletal muscle myosin is the cytoskeletal motor protein that converts chemical energy into mechanical force through its interaction with actin. A set of regulatory proteins, which includes tropomyosin and several types of troponin, make the actin-myosin interaction dependent on changes in intracellular calcium levels. CK-2127107, a novel skeletal muscle activator arising from Cytokinetics' skeletal muscle contractility program, slows the rate of calcium release from the regulatory troponin complex of fast skeletal muscle fibers, which sensitizes the sarcomere to calcium, leading to an increase in skeletal muscle contractility. CK-2127107 has demonstrated pharmacological activity that may lead to new therapeutic options for diseases associated with muscle weakness and fatigue. CK-2127107 has been the subject of five completed Phase I clinical trials in healthy volunteers, which evaluated safety, tolerability, bioavailability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Cytokinetics is planning to conduct a Phase II clinical trial of CK-2127107 in patients with SMA beginning later this year under its collaboration with Astellas.
About Cytokinetics
Cytokinetics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of novel small molecule therapeutics that modulate muscle function for the potential treatment of serious diseases and medical conditions. Cytokinetics is developing tirasemtiv, a fast skeletal muscle activator, as a potential treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Tirasemtiv has been granted orphan drug designation and fast track status by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and orphan medicinal product designation by the European Medicines Agency for the potential treatment of ALS. Cytokinetics is collaborating with Amgen Inc. to develop omecamtiv mecarbil, a cardiac muscle activator, for the potential treatment of heart failure. Cytokinetics is collaborating with Astellas Pharma Inc. to develop CK-2127107, a fast skeletal muscle activator, for the potential treatment of spinal muscular atrophy. Amgen holds an exclusive license worldwide to develop and commercialize omecamtiv mecarbil and Astellas holds an exclusive license worldwide to develop and commercialize CK-2127107. Both licenses are subject to Cytokinetics' specified development and commercialization participation rights. All of these drug candidates have arisen from Cytokinetics' muscle biology focused research activities and are directed towards the cytoskeleton. The cytoskeleton is a complex biological infrastructure that plays a fundamental role within every human cell. Additional information about Cytokinetics can be obtained at http://www.cytokinetics.com/.
This press release contains forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Act”). Cytokinetics disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements, and claims the protection of the Act’s safe harbor for forward-looking statements. Examples of such statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to planned presentations, and the properties and potential benefits of Cytokinetics’ drug candidates and potential drug candidates. Such statements are based on management’s current expectations, but actual results may differ materially due to various risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, potential difficulties or delays in the development, testing, regulatory approval and production of Cytokinetics' drug candidates and potential drug candidates that could slow or prevent clinical development or product approval, including risks that current and past results of clinical trials or preclinical studies may not be indicative of future clinical trials results and that Cytokinetics' drug candidates and potential drug candidates may have unexpected adverse side effects or inadequate therapeutic efficacy. For further information regarding these and other risks related to Cytokinetics’ business, investors should consult Cytokinetics’ filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contact:
Diane Weiser
Vice President, Corporate Communications, Investor Relations
(650) 624-3000
Cytokinetics, Inc
