As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 3, 2024

Registration No. 333-   

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Under

The Securities Act of 1933

CYTOKINETICS, INCORPORATED

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

350 Oyster Point Boulevard

South San Francisco, CA 94080

(Address of principal executive offices)

AMENDED AND RESTATED 2015 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

(Full title of the plan)

Robert I. Blum

President and Chief Executive Officer

Cytokinetics, Incorporated

350 Oyster Point Boulevard

South San Francisco, CA 94080

(650) 624-3000

(Name, address, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

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 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Registration Statement on Form S-8 is being filed for the purpose of registering an additional 300,000 shares of the Common Stock to be issued pursuant to the Amended and Restated 2015 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”). The shares of the Common Stock previously reserved for issuance under the ESPP were registered on the Registrant’s Registration Statements on Form S-8  previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on August 5, 2015 (File No. 333-206101), and May 29, 2020 (File No. 333-238786) (collectively, the “Prior Registration Statements”).

This Registration Statement on Form S-8 relates to securities of the same class as that to which the Prior Registration Statements relate, and is submitted in accordance with General Instruction E to Form S-8 regarding Registration of Additional Securities. Pursuant to General Instruction E of Form S-8, the contents of the Prior Registration Statements, to the extent relating to the registration of Common Stock issuable under the ESPP are incorporated herein by reference and made part of this Registration Statement, except as amended hereby.

ITEM 8. EXHIBITS

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of South San Francisco, State of California, on this 3rd day of June, 2024.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Robert I. Blum, Sung Lee, John Faurescu and Robert Wong jointly and severally, as his or her attorneys-in-fact, with full power of substitution in each, for him or her in any and all capacities to sign any amendments to this Registration Statement on Form S-8, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact, or his or her substitutes, may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Exhibit 5.1

Alan Hambelton

T: +1 206-452-8756

ahambelton@cooley.com

June 3, 2024

Cytokinetics, Incorporated

350 Oyster Point Boulevard

South San Francisco, CA 94080

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to Cytokinetics, Incorporated, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the filing by the Company of a registration statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) covering the offering of up to 300,000 shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, issuable pursuant to the Amended and Restated 2015 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “Plan”).

In connection with this opinion, we have examined and relied upon (a) the Registration Statement and related prospectus, (b) the Plan, (c) the Company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws, each as amended and as currently in effect, and (d) such other records, documents, opinions, certificates, memoranda and instruments as in our judgment are necessary or appropriate to enable us to render the opinion expressed below. We have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to originals of all documents submitted to us as copies, the accuracy, completeness and authenticity of certificates of public officials, and the due authorization, execution and delivery of all documents by all persons other than the Company where authorization, execution and delivery are prerequisites to the effectiveness thereof. As to certain factual matters, we have relied upon a certificate of an officer of the Company and have not independently verified such matters.

Our opinion is expressed only with respect to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. We express no opinion to the extent that any other laws are applicable to the subject matter hereof and express no opinion and provide no assurance as to compliance with any federal or state securities law, rule or regulation.

On the basis of the foregoing, and in reliance thereon, we are of the opinion that the Shares, when sold and issued in accordance with the Plan, the Registration Statement and the related prospectus, will be validly issued, fully paid, and nonassessable (except as to shares issued pursuant to deferred payment arrangements, which will be fully paid and nonassessable when such deferred payments are made in full).

This opinion is limited to the matters expressly set forth in this letter, and no opinion has been or should be implied, or may be inferred, beyond the matters expressly stated. This opinion speaks only as to law and facts in effect or existing as of the date hereof and we have no obligation or responsibility to update or supplement this opinion to reflect any facts or circumstances that may hereafter come to our attention or any changes in law that may hereafter occur.

1700 SEVENTH AVENUE, SUITE 1900, SEATTLE, WA 98101-1355

T: (206) 452 8700 F: (206) 452-8800 COOLEY.COM

Cytokinetics, Incorporated

June 3, 2024

Page Two

We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

Sincerely,

1700 SEVENTH AVENUE, SUITE 1900, SEATTLE, WA 98101-1355

T: (206) 452 8700 F: (206) 452-8800 COOLEY.COM

Exhibit 23.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (Form S-8) pertaining to the Amended and Restated 2015 Employee Stock Purchase Plan of Cytokinetics, Incorporated of our reports dated February 28, 2024, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Cytokinetics, Incorporated and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting of Cytokinetics, Incorporated included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

San Jose, California

May 31, 2024

Exhibit 107

Calculation of Filing Fee Table

Form S-8

(Form Type)

CYTOKINETICS, INCORPORATED

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

Table 1: Newly Registered Securities