Cytokinetics was founded 26 years ago but has not yet developed a drug successfully to approval. That makes Tuesday’s Food and Drug Administration decision on its treatment for heart failure a big deal — except nearly everyone, even investors who own Cytokinetics — hopes the agency rules against it.
Hoping the FDA rejects the Cytokinetics drug, called omecamtiv mecarbil, is a relatively uncommon, up-is-down, down-is-up situation, but it makes sense in this case because the business and science of the drug are not aligned.