SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. and WASHINGTON, May 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cytokinetics, Incorporated (Nasdaq: CYTK) and The ALS Association today announced the continuation of their partnership in the fight against ALS. Cytokinetics is a sponsor of the 2021 ALS Roundtables and ALS Focus, a patient and caregiver led survey program to learn about individual experiences with ALS. Cytokinetics is also a Platinum Level Sponsor for initiatives led by The ALS Association Golden West Chapter, including grant funding for care services for people with ALS in the Bay Area.
“We are proud to renew our enduring partnership and continue our support for The ALS Association and The ALS Association Golden West Chapter in the fight against ALS,” said Diane Weiser, Cytokinetics’ Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations. “People with ALS are still desperately in need of new therapies as they continue to face daily challenges that are exacerbated by the pandemic. We hope to make a positive impact in the fight by potentially starting COURAGE-ALS, our Phase 3 trial of reldesemtiv in patients with ALS, later this year.”
In 2021, Cytokinetics will continue to support and participate in several virtual events and initiatives with The ALS Association focused on continuing disease awareness and education, including the 2021 ALS Roundtables, during which patients, caregivers, industry, researchers, insurers and clinicians convene to discuss various topics of importance to the ALS community.
As a supporter of initiatives led by The ALS Association Golden West Chapter for over 10 years, Cytokinetics has participated in local fundraising and awareness events, including the Napa Valley Ride to Defeat ALS and the Silicon Valley Walk to Defeat ALS. Despite the shift to virtual events, Cytokinetics is upholding its commitment to the local community through active participation.
“We are grateful to continue our longstanding partnership with Cytokinetics, a company that has consistently shown that their values and goals align with ours. Together we look forward to continuing to improve awareness, education, public policy, and access to care for those impacted by ALS,” said Lyles Eddins, Senior Vice President, Development and Field Operations of The ALS Association.
“We value Cytokinetics’ steadfast commitment to The ALS Golden West Chapter’s mission,” said Fred Fisher, MSW, LCSW, President and CEO of The ALS Association Golden West Chapter. “The ALS community has been impacted tremendously by the pandemic over the past year, and we are grateful for the continued support from partners like Cytokinetics. We are thrilled to continue working closely with them on events and strategic initiatives at the local level.”
About ALS
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that afflicts approximately 20,000 people in the United States and a comparable number of patients in Europe. Approximately 5,000 new cases of ALS are diagnosed each year in the United States. The average life expectancy of an ALS patient is approximately three to five years after diagnosis and only approximately 10 percent of patients survive for more than 10 years. Death is usually due to respiratory failure because of diminished strength in the skeletal muscles responsible for breathing. Few treatment options exist for these patients, resulting in a high unmet need for new therapies to address functional deficits and disease progression.
About The ALS Association
The ALS Association is the only national nonprofit organization fighting ALS on every front. By leading the way in global research, providing assistance for people with ALS through a nationwide network of chapters, coordinating multidisciplinary care through certified clinical care centers, and fostering government partnerships, the Association builds hope and enhances quality of life while aggressively searching for new treatments and a cure. For more information about The ALS Association, visit our website at www.alsa.org.
About the Golden West Chapter of The ALS Association
The Golden West Chapter of The ALS Association serves people with ALS and their families in 31 counties throughout California and in the state of Hawaii, with the goal of advancing the search for effective treatments and cures for ALS. The ALS Association Golden West Chapter is proud to have earned a Four-Star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator for eight consecutive years. This is the highest rating possible in recognition of the Chapter’s ongoing commitment to sound fiscal management, accountability and transparency. For more information about ALS and the Golden West Chapter, please visit www.alsagoldenwest.org and follow @alsagoldenwest on social media channels.
About Cytokinetics
Cytokinetics is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing first-in-class muscle activators and next-in-class muscle inhibitors as potential treatments for debilitating diseases in which muscle performance is compromised and/or declining. As a leader in muscle biology and the mechanics of muscle performance, the company is developing small molecule drug candidates specifically engineered to impact muscle function and contractility. Cytokinetics is engaging with regulatory authorities in preparation for a U.S. NDA submission of omecamtiv mecarbil, its novel cardiac muscle activator, following positive results from GALACTIC-HF, a large, international Phase 3 clinical trial in patients with heart failure. Cytokinetics is conducting METEORIC-HF, a second Phase 3 clinical trial of omecamtiv mecarbil. Cytokinetics is also developing CK-274, a next-generation cardiac myosin inhibitor, for the potential treatment of hypertrophic cardiomyopathies (HCM). Cytokinetics is conducting REDWOOD-HCM, a Phase 2 clinical trial of CK-274 in patients with obstructive HCM. Cytokinetics is also developing reldesemtiv, a fast skeletal muscle troponin activator for the potential treatment of ALS and other neuromuscular indications following conduct of FORTITUDE-ALS and other Phase 2 clinical trials. The company is preparing for the potential advancement of reldesemtiv to a Phase 3 clinical trial in ALS. Cytokinetics continues its over 20-year history of pioneering innovation in muscle biology and related pharmacology focused to diseases of muscle dysfunction and conditions of muscle weakness.
For additional information about Cytokinetics, visit www.cytokinetics.com and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act"). Cytokinetics disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements and claims the protection of the Act's Safe Harbor for forward-looking statements. Examples of such statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to Cytokinetics' and its partners' research and development activities of Cytokinetics’ product candidates. Such statements are based on management's current expectations, but actual results may differ materially due to various risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to the risks related to Cytokinetics' business outlined in Cytokinetics' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and Cytokinetics' actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and the development of the industry in which it operates, may differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Any forward-looking statements that Cytokinetics makes in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. Cytokinetics assumes no obligation to update its forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release.
Contact:
Cytokinetics
Diane Weiser
Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Investor Relations
(415) 290-7757
Source: Cytokinetics, Incorporated
