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Astellas Targets ALS In Expansion Of Cytokinetics Alliance

 
• By Ian Haydock

Astellas and Cytokinetics are expanding their existing alliance to investigate two candidates against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, as the Japanese firm looks to build its strategic interests in muscle disease.

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Astellas Pharma Inc. is paying $65m upfront to expand its ongoing R&D collaboration with Cytokinetics Inc. for skeletal muscle activator drugs to include new programs and assets for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

The deal builds on the two companies' original 2013 R&D tie-up that gave the Japanese firm access to South San Francisco-based Cytokinetics' multiple programs including the fast skeletal

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