SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., April 17, 2006 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cytokinetics, Incorporated today announced the initiation of a Phase I/II clinical trial of its second Kinesin Spindle Protein (KSP) inhibitor, SB-743921, in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Cytokinetics is conducting this clinical trial in order to expand the development activities for SB-743921, based on a recently amended agreement with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). SB-743921 is the second drug candidate in clinical development arising from a strategic collaboration between Cytokinetics and GSK to discover, develop and commercialize novel small molecule therapeutics targeting human mitotic kinesins for applications in the treatment of cancer and other diseases. GSK is conducting a broad Phase II clinical trials program for the lead drug candidate from this program, the KSP inhibitor ispinesib (SB-715992), and is evaluating SB-743921 in an ongoing Phase I trial in patients with advanced solid tumors.

In addition, the NCI plans to conduct one additional Phase II clinical trial in patients with renal cell carcinoma. The NCI is also conducting two other Phase I clinical trials evaluating an alternative schedule of ispinesib in leukemia and advanced solid tumors.