Advancing disease-modifying therapies for patients with cardiometabolic disease
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About Revier
Unlocking the therapeutic potential of class IIa HDACs
Revier has established the first therapeutic approach to selectively target class IIa HDACs to treat cardiometabolic diseases. Our orally available small molecules are designed to inhibit the pathogenic enzymatic activity while preserving healthy biological function and avoiding canonical HDAC inhibition.
We are advancing a pipeline of novel disease modulators starting with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) as our initial indications. Our goal is to define a new class of treatments that directly improve cardiometabolic health and provide life-saving, long-term benefits for patients with related diseases.
The challenge
Cardiometabolic diseases remain a major health burden for millions of patients worldwide
Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and related metabolic disorders are leading causes of illness, hospitalization, and premature death for patients across the globe. HFpEF and ASCVD are complex, chronic diseases driven by interconnected biological processes such as metabolic dysfunction, inflammation, and vascular abnormalities.
Despite significant advances in cardiovascular care, many patients continue to experience persistent symptoms and serious disease burden, highlighting a need for novel treatments addressing additional disease-relevant mechanisms.
30 million people
live with HFpEF worldwide, and prevalence continues to rise. Disease-modifying treatments that restore heart function and reduce mortality remain lacking, leaving patients with underlying progressive disease.
500 million people
are affected by ASCVD-related conditions, including coronary artery disease and ischemic stroke, which account for nearly one-third of all global deaths.
Revier's approach
Selectively targeting the disease-associated activity of class IIa HDACs
Class IIa HDACs Represent a Novel Therapeutic Frontier
Click the tabs to view the three biological states
Class IIa HDACs support healthy cellular function
In healthy cells, class IIa HDACs have negligible basal enzymatic activity. Their steady-state biological activity is primarily driven by their transcription factor (TF) binding domain, governing cellular differentiation and maintaining normal metabolic balance across the heart and other organs.
Stress signals switch on pathogenic activity
In cardiometabolic disease, class IIa HDAC catalytic activity is elevated and drives disease onset and progression. Inherited and acquired cardiometabolic risk factors such as obesity and arterial hypertension can trigger inflammatory and oxidative stress. This leads to stimulation of pathogenic enzyme activity in multiple cell and tissue types, manifesting in cardiometabolic indications including vascular disease and heart failure.
Revier's approach
Selective inhibition offers a new therapeutic approach
Revier’s orally available selective class IIa HDAC inhibitors are designed to return enzymatic activity toward healthy levels without interfering with the steady-state activities of the TF-binding domain.
What makes class IIa HDACs unique?
HDAC enzymes control important processes inside cells, but each HDAC class has a distinct role.
Class I HDACs act on histone tails and mainly help regulate chromatin structure and gene expression to control differentiation of cells, while class IIb HDACs act on cytoskeletal proteins to support cellular structure and organization.
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Class IIa HDACs are different. They have little enzymatic activity in healthy people. Through their non-enzymatic TF-binding domain, they control cell growth in development and disease by interacting with transcription factors. When cardiometabolic stress activates the enzymatic activity of class IIa HDACs, it can alter the utilization of energy substrates, metabolic flux and immune function. Growing evidence links this change to cardiometabolic diseases such as heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), highlighting these enzymes as attractive therapeutic targets.
By developing small molecules that selectively and potently engage with class IIa HDAC enzymes, we aim to overcome limitations that have historically challenged HDAC-targeted therapies.
Our small molecules are engineered to:
Selectively inhibit disease-causing class IIa HDAC enzymatic activity
Preserve non-enzymatic functions that support normal cellular health
Avoid canonical HDAC inhibition and minimize associated risks
Restore cardiometabolic function to improve quality of life and long-term patient outcomes
Publications
Publications behind our science
Our approach is grounded in extensive published research and deep in-house expertise in class IIa HDAC biology and cardiometabolic disease.
CLASS IIA HDAC ACTIVATION11 publications
Circulation Research
Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology
Nature Metabolism, PMID: 31742248
EMBO Molecular Medicine
Journal of Cell Biology
Nature Medicine, PMID: 29227474
EMBO Molecular Medicine
Circulation Research
Molecular and Cellular Biology
The Journal of Clinical Investigation
Cell
CLASS IIA HDAC INHIBITORS4 publications
BioRxiv
Circulation
Nature
Nature Chemical Biology
REVIEWS4 publications
EMBO Molecular Medicine
Journal of the American College of Cardiology
Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences
Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology
Pipeline
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Advancing the first therapies selectively targeting class IIa HDACs for cardiometabolic diseases
Revier is developing a portfolio of oral, first-in-class small molecules that selectively target class IIa HDAC isoforms linked to major cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, with the goal of delivering safe and durable disease‑modifying options for patients.
Our most advanced program is rapidly progressing toward development candidate nomination, paving the way for clinical studies in HFpEF in the near future. In parallel, we are pursuing discovery efforts across additional cardiometabolic indications.
PROGRAM
DISCOVERY
LEAD OPT.
IND-ENABLING
PHASE I
PHASE II
Team
Leaders in cardiovascular science and drug development, focused on advancing novel cardiometabolic treatments
Our team combines deep expertise across cardiovascular biology, translational science, drug discovery, clinical development and business execution. Together, we are pioneering a new class of therapies for patients with cardiometabolic disease.
Prof. Dr. Eva van Rooij
CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Dr. Mike Nolan
CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
Dr. med. Matthias Dewenter
CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER
Prof. Dr. med. Norbert Frey
CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER
Prof. Dr. med. Johannes Backs
Scientific founder
Investors & partners
Backed by experienced life science investors
Revier is supported by a syndicate of life science and private investors with a shared commitment to advancing innovative therapies for patients with serious cardiometabolic diseases.
Built on Scientific Excellence
Our scientific foundation is rooted in pioneering research on class IIa HDAC biology and strengthened through collaborations within the Heidelberg life science ecosystem.
