FDA issues a Complete Respose Letter for omecamtiv mecarbil for the treatment of heart failure

FDA communicated that GALACTIC-HF is not sufficiently persuasive to establish substantial evidence of effectiveness for reducing the risk of heart failure events and cardiovascular death in adults with chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, in lieu of evidence from at least two adequate and well-controlled clinical investigations.

FDA stated that results from an additional clinical trial of omecamtiv mecarbil are required to establish substantial evidence of effectiveness for the treatment of HFrEF, with benefits that outweigh the risks. GALACTIC-HF (Global Approach to Lowering Adverse Cardiac Outcomes Through Improving Contractility in Heart Failure) was a Phase III clinical trial of omecamtiv mecarbil that enrolled patients with HFrEF at risk of hospitalization and death, despite being treated with standard-of-care therapy.

Cytokinetics expects to request a meeting with FDA in order to understand FDA’s views regarding the CRL and what may be required to support potential approval of omecamtiv mecarbil. However, the Company has no plans to conduct an additional clinical trial of omecamtiv mecarbil and its focus remains on the development program for aficamten, the next-in-class cardiac myosin inhibitor, currently the subject of SEQUOIA-HCM, a Phase III clinical trial in patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).