Cytokinetics and the ALS Association Renew Partnership to Advance the Fight Against ALS
May 30 2019 - 7:30AM
Cytokinetics, Incorporated (Nasdaq:CYTK) and The ALS Association
today announced the continuation of their partnership in the fight
against ALS. Cytokinetics is renewing its Gold Level Sponsorship of
the National Walks to Defeat ALS® and Premier Level National ALS
Advocacy Conference Sponsorship as well as Platinum Level
Sponsorship for initiatives led by The ALS Association Golden West
Chapter, including grant funding for care services for people with
ALS in the Bay Area.
“The ALS Association and The ALS Association
Golden West Chapter have been exceptional partners over the many
years we’ve worked together in supporting patients, caregivers, and
advocates of our ALS community,” said Robert I. Blum, Cytokinetics’
President and Chief Executive Officer. “In honor of ALS Awareness
Month and following the recent release of encouraging results from
our clinical trials of reldesemtiv, it is a privilege to continue
our commitment to making a difference in the lives of people
impacted by ALS alongside our renewed conviction to develop new
medicines that may meaningfully impact their lives.”
In the past year, Cytokinetics has been involved
in several initiatives with The ALS Association focused on better
understanding the disease and its impact on patients and caregivers
as well as increasing awareness of ALS through participation in the
Voice Your Love campaign, among others. This year, Cytokinetics is
participating as a sponsor of The ALS Association’s National ALS
Advocacy Conference held in Washington, D.C., on June 9-11, 2019,
during which advocates from across the country meet with
legislators on Capitol Hill to discuss policy initiatives that
could help the ALS community.
Additionally, as a supporter of initiatives led
by The ALS Association Golden West Chapter, Cytokinetics employees
will participate in many local events including the “Champions for
Care and a Cure” Gala, the ALS Awareness Day with the San Francisco
Giants, the Napa Valley Ride to Defeat ALS, and the South Bay Walk
to Defeat ALS. The company has also provided critically-needed
funding to invest in communications resources to educate people
with ALS and their loved ones about the disease and help to create
deeper connections between the ALS community and advocacy
resources.
“We are grateful to have a strong industry
partner who shares our goals for awareness, education and public
policy, and remains tireless in its pursuit of new therapies for
the ALS community. We look forward to continuing our
collaboration,” said Calaneet Balas, President and CEO of The ALS
Association.
“There are more people than ever who are
registering with the Golden West Chapter, and the demand for the
services and support that we offer continues to grow,” said Fred
Fisher, MSW, LCSW, President and CEO of The ALS Association Golden
West Chapter. “Cytokinetics’ ongoing dedication to our ALS
community is unparalleled. We are extremely honored to work closely
with them on many important Chapter events and strategic
initiatives, all of which are vital to providing critically-needed
support for individuals and families facing ALS.”
About ALS
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a
progressive neurodegenerative disease that afflicts approximately
16,000 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 Cytokinetics
Cytokinetics is a late-stage biopharmaceutical
company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing
first-in-class muscle activators and best-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 collaborating with Amgen Inc.
(Amgen) to develop omecamtiv mecarbil, a novel cardiac muscle
activator. Omecamtiv mecarbil is the subject of an international
clinical trials program in patients with heart failure including
GALACTIC-HF and METEORIC-HF. Amgen holds an exclusive worldwide
license to develop and commercialize omecamtiv mecarbil with a
sublicense held by Servier for commercialization in Europe and
certain other countries. Cytokinetics is collaborating with
Astellas Pharma Inc. (Astellas) to develop reldesemtiv, a fast
skeletal muscle troponin activator (FSTA) for diseases of
neuromuscular dysfunction, including ALS. Astellas holds an
exclusive worldwide license to develop and commercialize
reldesemtiv. Licenses held by Amgen and Astellas are subject to
specified co-development and co-commercialization rights of
Cytokinetics. Cytokinetics is also developing CK-274, a novel
cardiac myosin inhibitor that company scientists discovered
independent of its collaborations, for the potential treatment of
hypertrophic cardiomyopathies. 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:CytokineticsDiane WeiserVice President,
Corporate Communications, Investor Relations(650) 624-3060
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