SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., June 20, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cytokinetics, Incorporated (Nasdaq: CYTK) today announced that MAPLE-HCM (Metoprolol vs Aficamten in Patients with LVOT Obstruction on Exercise Capacity in HCM), a Phase 3 clinical trial comparing aficamten as monotherapy to metoprolol as monotherapy in patients with symptomatic obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), is open to enrollment. Aficamten is a next-in-class cardiac myosin inhibitor in development for the potential treatment of HCM.

“We are pleased to further expand the development program for aficamten with the start of MAPLE-HCM, a Phase 3 trial assessing for the potential superiority of aficamten compared to a commonly prescribed beta blocker, metoprolol,” said Fady I. Malik, M.D., Ph.D., Cytokinetics’ Executive Vice President of Research & Development. “MAPLE-HCM is, to date, the first and only clinical trial directly comparing a cardiac myosin inhibitor to what is considered the standard of care therapy in patients with HCM. While beta-blockers like metoprolol can reduce the left ventricular outflow tract gradient (LVOT-G) and improve patient symptoms, they are often associated with undesirable side effects and have not been shown to improve exercise capacity, a desired treatment outcome for patients suffering from HCM. We hope that MAPLE-HCM will generate evidence showing treatment with aficamten as first-line monotherapy is superior to monotherapy with metoprolol, which may help offer a simplified treatment approach in HCM.”