Cytokinetics, The Mended Hearts, Inc. and WomenHeart Announce Launch of New Initiative to Increase Engagement in Cardiovascular Clinical Trials

Grant Funding Provided by Cytokinetics to Each Organization to Help Increase Clinical Trial Engagement Among Historically Underrepresented Groups

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., and ALBANY, Ga., and WASHINGTON, Feb. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cytokinetics, Incorporated (Nasdaq: CYTK), together with The Mended Hearts, Inc. and WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease, today announced the launch of ENACT: Empower, Navigate, Activate for Clinical Trials, an initiative designed to champion greater awareness and engagement in cardiovascular clinical trials by reducing barriers, increasing support and empowering patients in groups historically underrepresented in clinical research, including people of color and women to confidently navigate the clinical trial experience from start to finish. ENACT is a joint initiative of The Mended Hearts, Inc. and WomenHeart, made possible through grant funding from Cytokinetics provided to each organization to address their respective constituencies.

The goal of ENACT is to provide greater education to patients with cardiovascular diseases participating in clinical trials. With an initial focus on clinical trials in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), ENACT will offer educational resources such as videos and written guides, and will train peer support volunteers to help address the unique questions, experiences and considerations people may have about clinical trials.

ENACT is designed to develop dynamically with the strategic direction of each partnering organization and the needs of the communities they serve. During the initial launch, The Mended Hearts, Inc. and WomenHeart will create complementary content, modules and resources based on their unique expertise and constituencies. As the program grows, new topics, offerings, partners and funders may be introduced, all anchored in the common goal of improving patients’ understanding, access and experiences in cardiovascular clinical trials.

“We commend The Mended Hearts, Inc. and WomenHeart on this joint initiative to help make cardiovascular clinical trials more accessible, approachable and inclusive,” said Mary Pomerantz, Cytokinetics’ Senior Director of Patient Advocacy and Engagement. “A critical imperative within our commitment to addressing health equity is increasing diversity in clinical trials. ENACT is one important tool in working towards this goal by empowering individuals with cardiovascular disease to consider participating in clinical research, ultimately helping to promote clinical trial populations that better reflect real-world populations.”