Cytokinetics (NASDAQ:CYTK), Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company headquartered in South San Francisco, California, that focuses on the discovery and development of muscle-directed therapies. Founded in 1997, Cytokinetics applies its expertise in muscle biology to address serious diseases of cardiac and skeletal muscle dysfunction. The company’s research platform centers on small molecule therapeutics that modulate muscle contractility in conditions with high unmet medical need.
The company’s lead cardiac muscle activator, omecamtiv mecarbil, is being developed in collaboration with Amgen for patients with chronic heart failure. In addition, Cytokinetics is advancing several skeletal muscle programs, including reldesemtiv, a fast skeletal muscle activator for neuromuscular disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Aficamten, a cardiac myosin inhibitor in partnership with Astellas, is under investigation for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), underscoring the company’s strategy of targeting myosin-driven disease pathways.
Over its history, Cytokinetics has established strategic alliances and global collaborations to support clinical development and commercialization. The company’s operations span North America, Europe and Asia, with clinical trial sites and research collaborations in multiple regions. This geographic reach enables Cytokinetics to explore therapeutic applications of its muscle biology platform across diverse patient populations.
Under the leadership of President and Chief Executive Officer Robert I. Blum, Cytokinetics continues to expand its pipeline and invest in early discovery. The management team combines scientific, clinical and regulatory expertise to advance muscle-directed candidates through late-stage trials. With a focus on integrating translational science and rigorous clinical investigation, the company aims to address progressive muscle diseases that currently have limited treatment options.
