Stephen B. Heitner, M.D.

VP, Clinical Research & Therapeutic Area Lead, Cardiovascular

Steve was appointed Vice President of Clinical Research and Therapeutic Area Lead, Cardiovascular in March 2022. Since joining the company in 2020, Steve has served as clinical lead for both omecamtiv mercarbil and aficamten and has been instrumental in facilitating program strategies and priorities and ensuring cross-functional collaboration across all cardiovascular programs.

Prior to joining Cytokinetics, Steve served as Associate Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Knight Cardiovascular Clinical Research Institute at Oregon Health and Science University. As a result of Steve’s experience and accomplishments in cardiovascular medicine, he has been recognized internationally for his contributions in the field, particularly in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and cardiac amyloidosis.

Steve received his M.D. from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg South Africa. He completed his internal medicine residency and chief residency at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, PA and his cardiology fellowship at Cooper University Hospital in New Jersey.

Steve resides in Portland, Oregon with his wife and two daughters. He is an advocate for educational opportunities for all, particularly people who have been historically disadvantaged, believing that knowledge is the key to equality. In his free time, he enjoys traveling to exotic destinations, backpacking, trail running, skiing and hiking.