Astellas, Cytokinetics enter into research agreement for skeletal muscle activators

Under the terms of the agreement, Cytokinetics has given rights to Astellas to co-develop and commercialize CK-2127107, a fast skeletal troponin activator drug candidate, for potential application in non-neuromuscular indications.

Cytokinetics president and CEO Robert Blum said, "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."

Astellas has the exclusive rights to develop and market drug candidates that may arise from these activities, based on certain Cytokinetics’ development and commercialization rights.

The research collaboration is intended to use the capabilities of two companies in the fields of discovery technologies, medicinal chemistry, analytical chemistry, structural biology, computational chemistry, and the pharmacology of muscle contractility.

Cytokinetics is eligible to gain more than $40m as the upfront payment and reimbursement of sponsored research and development activities during the initial two years of the collaboration.

Besides, the company will receive more than $450m in pre-commercialization and commercialization milestones, including royalties.

As a part of the collaboration, both the companies 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. Subject to Cytokinetics’ option to co-promote collaboration products in the US and Canada, Astellas will have the right to market the products globally through the research agreement.