Cytokinetics participating in MyoKardia launch

Cytokinetics Inc. (NASDAQ:CYTK) said it received an equity stake in new cardiovascular company MyoKardia Inc. (San Francisco, Calif.) in exchange for patent rights related to Cytokinetics' cardiac sarcomere inhibitor program for hypertrophic cardiomyopathies. Under a one-year deal, MyoKardia will fund activities and personnel at Cytokinetics under an agreed research plan. Cytokinetics is eligible for milestones, plus royalties. The companies would not disclose financial details.

Last week, MyoKardia debuted with a $38 million series A round from Third Rock Ventures. The company is focused on small molecule therapeutics to treat genetic heart diseases, with an initial focus on hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathies. The diseases are caused by mutations in sarcomere proteins that cause the heart muscle to be either hyper- or hypo-contractile (see BioCentury, Sept. 24). ...