*

Aficamten shows cardiac benefits over blood pressure drug

metoprolol

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Analysts see potential for aficamten to replace

beta-blocker

drugs for treating HCM

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Cytokinetics ( CYTK ) plans to submit data to regulators for

expanded use

next year

By Bhanvi Satija and Mariam Sunny

Aug 30 (Reuters) - Cytokinetics' ( CYTK ) experimental

drug improved symptoms such as shortness of breath and chest

pain better than a standard-of-care treatment in patients with a

type of heart condition, detailed late-stage study data on

Sunday showed.

The findings, presented at the European Society of

Cardiology Congress in Madrid, Spain, augment the promising

evidence shared in May for the effectiveness of the drug,

aficamten, over current treatments.

Detailed results of the 175-patient trial indicated

aficamten had clear cardiac benefits over the blood pressure

drug metoprolol in the head-to-head study, including reduced

blockage and improved blood outflow from the heart.

The U.S. health regulator is expected to decide by December

on the drug for patients whether or not they received the

current standard treatment.

After 24 weeks, patients with obstructive hypertrophic

cardiomyopathy, an inherited condition, given aficamten showed

an average increase of 1.1 millilitre per kg/minute in peak

oxygen uptake, a key measure of heart function, while those on

metoprolol saw a decline.

Over half of the aficamten patients showed an improvement in

physical limitations, compared to 26% on metoprolol. Patients

reported improved quality of life as measured on a commonly used

questionnaire.

Some analysts have said aficamten has the potential to

replace metoprolol, which belongs to a class of drugs called

beta-blockers, as the first treatment given to patients with the

heart condition.

"This study provides profound grounds for replacing

beta-blockers by aficamten," said cardiologist and one of the

principal investigators Dr. Pablo García-Pavia.

The drug reduces the forceful heart muscle contractions

linked to the condition, Cytokinetics ( CYTK ) said. It belongs to the

same drug class as Bristol Myers Squibb's ( BMY ) approved

treatment Camzyos.

CEO Robert Blum said Cytokinetics ( CYTK ) plans to submit this data

to regulators next year for expanded use of the drug.

RBC Capital analysts have estimated $900 million in peak

sales for aficamten as a first-line treatment alone by 2034.

(Reporting by Bhanvi Satija and Mariam Sunny in Bengaluru;

Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)