Cytokinetics, Astellas collaborate in skeletal muscle activation field

Cytokinetics and Astellas Pharma announced a collaboration focused on the research, development and commercialization of skeletal muscle activators. The primary objective of the collaboration is to advance novel therapies for diseases and medical conditions associated with muscle weakness. The parties will jointly conduct research in the area of skeletal muscle activation. Astellas will have the exclusive rights to develop and commercialize drug candidates that may arise from these activities, subject to certain Cytokinetics' development and commercialization rights. In addition, Cytokinetics has granted Astellas an exclusive license to co-develop and commercialize Cytokinetics' drug candidate CK-2127107 in certain indications. In this collaboration, Cytokinetics will combine its foremost position in the discovery and mechanistic biology of small molecule activators of skeletal muscle contractility with Astellas' advanced pharmaceutical discovery, development, and commercialization capabilities. During the two-year collaborative research term, the companies will focus on expanding emerging opportunities in skeletal muscle contractility and will together identify, characterize, and optimize fast skeletal troponin activators and other potential novel mechanism skeletal muscle activators.

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