Collaboration Will Focus on Expanding the New Frontier of Muscle Biology
Cytokinetics is Eligible to Receive Over $40 Million During the Initial Two Years
in Addition to Over $450 Million in Potential Milestone Payments plus Royalties
South San Francisco, CA, and Tokyo, June 25, 2013 – Cytokinetics, Incorporated (NASDAQ:CYTK) and Astellas Pharma Inc. (Tokyo Stock Exchange: 4503, "Astellas") announced today 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. The joint research program is designed to leverage the two companies’ cutting-edge capabilities in discovery technologies, medicinal chemistry, analytical chemistry, structural biology, computational chemistry, and the pharmacology of muscle contractility.
“We are pleased to enter into this collaboration with Astellas, which will enable us to expand our research and development in the area of skeletal muscle activators,” stated Cytokinetics’ President and Chief Executive Officer, Robert I. Blum. “Through this collaboration, we intend to jointly investigate the potential role that CK-2127107 and follow-on skeletal muscle activators can play in providing functional improvements in patients with diseases characterized by muscle weakness and fatigue. We are impressed with Astellas’ strategic vision and capabilities in the areas of novel mechanism biopharmaceutical research and development.”
“We are excited to work with Cytokinetics to expand the new frontier of muscle biology related to the very innovative mechanism of action of skeletal muscle activation,” stated Yoshihiko Hatanaka, Astellas’ President and Chief Executive Officer. “This new collaboration illustrates Astellas’ important commitment to enhance its abilities to generate innovative drugs by deploying cutting-edge science, accessing distinguished internal and external talent, and utilizing the optimal research environment.”
Under the collaboration, Cytokinetics has exclusively licensed to Astellas the rights to co-develop and commercialize CK-2127107, a fast skeletal troponin activator drug candidate, for potential application in non-neuromuscular indications. CK-2127107, which is currently in Phase I clinical development, will be developed jointly by Cytokinetics and Astellas. Under the agreement, Cytokinetics will be primarily responsible for the conduct of Phase I clinical trials and certain Phase II readiness activities for CK-2127107 and Astellas will be primarily responsible for the conduct of subsequent development and commercialization activities for CK-2127107. Astellas will have exclusive rights to develop and commercialize other fast skeletal troponin activators in non-neuromuscular indications and to develop and commercialize other novel mechanism skeletal muscle activators in all indications, subject to certain Cytokinetics’ development and commercialization rights. Outside the collaboration, Cytokinetics will continue to independently develop tirasemtiv, a fast skeletal troponin activator currently in Phase II clinical trials, for the potential treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other neuromuscular disorders.
Cytokinetics is eligible to receive over $40 million in the form of an upfront payment and reimbursement of sponsored research and development activities during the initial two years of the collaboration. In addition, Cytokinetics is eligible to receive over $450 million in pre-commercialization and commercialization milestones plus royalties. The parties will jointly conduct research to identify next-generation skeletal muscle activators to be nominated as drug candidates. Astellas will be responsible for the activities and costs associated with the development of collaboration products. Cytokinetics retains an option to conduct early-stage development for certain agreed indications at its initial expense, subject to reimbursement if development continues under the collaboration. Astellas will have the exclusive right to commercialize collaboration products worldwide, subject to Cytokinetics’ option to co-promote collaboration products in the United States and Canada. In connection with the co-promotion activities, Astellas will reimburse Cytokinetics for certain expenses associated with its promotion activities.
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