BioCentury
ARTICLE | Company News

Astellas musculoskeletal, ophthalmic news

June 1, 2015 7:00 AM UTC

Astellas released a three-year strategic plan that adds muscle disease and ophthalmology therapeutic areas. The company’s innovative medicines strategy for FY15-17 also will include development of next-generation vaccines and cell therapies to treat cardiovascular disease and cancer. The announcement comes about two years after the pharma said it would restructure R&D and focus on accessing earlier stage assets via partnerships.

Astellas said it will focus ophthalmology efforts on posterior eye disorders, including retinitis pigmentosa, through a collaboration with Harvard Medical School (Boston, Mass.). ASP8232, an oral compound with an undisclosed mechanism, is in Phase II testing to treat diabetic macular edema (DME). Astellas and Cytokinetics Inc. (NASDAQ:CYTK, South San Francisco, Calif.) are developing CK-2127107 for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and other neuromuscular indications under an expanded 2013 deal. In December, Cytokinetics said it plans to begin a Phase II trial of the fast skeletal muscle troponin activator for SMA this year (see BioCentury, July 1, 2013; Oct. 14, 2013 & Jan. 5, 2015). ...