Amgen announces heart alliance with Cytokinetics

Cytokinetics and Amgen have announced that they have signed a strategic alliance agreement for the discovery, development and commercialisation of innovative small-molecule therapeutics for the activation of cardiac muscle contractility. This research is thought to have potential benefits for the treatment of heart failure.

Amgen will also be involved in the development and commercialisation of CK-1827452, Cytokinetics lead small-molecule pharmaceutical candidate from this program that has currently undergone two clinical trials at phase I.

The company will pay Cytokinetics a technology access and license fee of $42 million (21.6 million pounds), while also purchasing $33 million of its common stock.

Research activities are due to take place for an initial two years, with a focus on the identification and characterisation of activators of cardiac myosin to develop follow-on candidates from CK-1827452.

James Sabry, chief executive officer of Cytokinetics, said that the company was “pleased” to collaborate with Amgen in the development of CK-1827452 in clinical trials.

“Amgen’s leadership in innovation and novel biopharmaceutical mechanisms is well known,” he said.

“The creative structure of this alliance reinforces the enthusiasm we both share for this area and our respective interests to together build on this attractive opportunity in the treatment of heart failure,” he added.

In June 2006, Amgen presented the results of phase II clinical trials suggesting treatment with Aranesp (darbepoetin alfa) could reduce the risk of mortality and hospitalisation in heart failure patients with anaemia.