Our skeletal muscle contractility program is focused on the activation of the skeletal sarcomere, the basic unit of skeletal muscle contraction. The skeletal sarcomere is a highly ordered cytoskeletal structure composed of skeletal muscle myosin, actin, and a set of regulatory proteins, which include the troponins and tropomyosin. This program leverages our expertise developed in our ongoing discovery and development of cardiac sarcomere activators, including the cardiac muscle myosin activator omecamtiv mecarbil (CK-1827452) and has generated novel skeletal muscel activators, including CK-2017357.

Our research on the direct activation of skeletal muscle continues in two areas. We are conducting translational research with our existing series of skeletal sarcomere activators to explore the potential applications of this novel approach in preclinical studies. In addition, we have a research program aimed at the discovery and validation of other chemically and pharmacologically distinct mechanisms to activate the skeletal sarcomere.