Cytokinetics gets orphan drug status for ALS drug

Cytokinetics announced today that its drug CK-2017357 has been granted orphan-drug designation by FDA. The drug is in trials for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease), a condition that affects about 20,000 to 30,000 people in the U.S. Cytokinetics plans to initiate a Phase II trial for CK-2017357 in ALS patients in the first half of 2010. Cytokinetics release