Cytokinetics and Astellas Provide Updates Regarding Collaborative Skeletal Muscle Program

Cytokinetics (Nasdaq:CYTK) and Astellas Pharma (TSE:4503) today provided an update for their collaborative skeletal muscle program, including clinical trial updates for reldesemtiv in neuromuscular and non-neuromuscular conditions.

As quoted in the press release:

In addition toreldesemtiv, the companies are advancing another fast skeletal muscle troponin activator (FSTA) into Investigational New Drug (IND)-enabling studies and continuing their joint research program through 2019. Cytokinetics has been developing reldesemtiv as a potential treatment for people with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and other debilitating neuromuscular diseases and conditions associated with skeletal muscle weakness and/or fatigue. In parallel, Astellas has been conducting non-neuromuscular clinical trials with reldesemtiv to investigate a potential path forward for the next generation FSTA in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Frailty. Cytokinetics and Astellas are also conducting joint research to discover and advance additional small molecule activators of skeletal muscle, which may be developed as drug candidates for a broad array of diseases associated with skeletal muscle weakness and fatigue.

Click here to read the full press release.