Revier Therapeutics, a Heidelberg-based BioTech company advancing disease-modifying therapies for patients with cardiometabolic disease, has officially launched and announced the closing of a €6 million Seed financing round.
The round was led by the KHAN Technology Transfer Fund II, with participation from High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), VORNvc, and private investors through Revier Invest Heidelberg.
Prof. Eva van Rooij, PhD, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Revier Therapeutics, said, “Despite significant progress in cardiovascular medicine, millions of patients with HFpEF (heart failure with preserved ejection fraction) and ASCVD (atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease) still to date face limited targeted treatment options. We believe the next generation of cardiometabolic medicines needs to address the underlying disease-driving biology to deliver impactful and long-term solutions for patients.
“Our mission is to translate the scientific potential of class IIa HDAC inhibition into a pipeline of novel therapies and rapidly advance our lead programs toward the clinic to create long-term value for both patients and the broader healthcare ecosystem.”
Revier Therapeutics has established the first therapeutic approach to selectively target class IIa histone deacetylases (HDACs) for the treatment of cardiometabolic diseases. The company states that its orally available small molecules are designed to inhibit the pathogenic enzymatic activity while preserving healthy biological function and avoiding canonical HDAC inhibition.
HDACs are enzymes that play a functional role in a variety of severe diseases, the German startup explains. The company is advancing a pipeline of novel disease modulators, starting with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) as its initial indications.
Prof. Johannes Backs, MD, scientific founder of Revier Therapeutics, added, “While first generation HDAC inhibitors broadly targeted multiple HDAC classes resulting in dose-limiting side effects, Revier’s first-in-class small molecules selectively target class IIa HDACs. These compounds specifically inhibit the disease-driving enzymatic activity while preserving the essential functions of class IIa HDACs and canonical class I HDACs. This precise mode of action is designed to be therapeutically effective while maintaining a beneficial safety profile.”
The company’s seed financing included support from a coalition of regional stakeholders and investors led by the business developer Daniel Stern (founder of Revier Invest Heidelberg).
“Revier’s differentiated class IIa HDAC strategy in cardiometabolic disease has the potential to unlock the therapeutic promise of HDAC biology while overcoming limitations associated with earlier class I HDAC approaches. Combined with an exceptional leadership team and deep scientific expertise, the company has a unique opportunity to deliver disease-modifying medicines and reshape the standard of care by providing durable benefit for patients with HFpEF, ASCVD and related cardiometabolic disorders,” said Michael Hamacher, PhD, Managing Partner and CFO at KHAN Technology Transfer Fund II.
The company plans to use this capital to support the development of its preclinical cardiometabolic pipeline, including its lead programme in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and its second programme in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), as well as the build-out of its operational, scientific and clinical functions.
Source: EU-Startups
