REVIER Therapeutics launches with €6 million seed financing
Development of Class IIa HDAC inhibitors for the treatment of cardiometabolic diseases
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Revier Therapeutics announced the closing of a EUR 6 million seed financing and the launch of its operations. The Company has established the first therapeutic approach to selectively target class IIa histone deacetylases (HDACs) for the treatment of cardiometabolic diseases. The financing was led by the KHAN Technology Transfer Fund II, with participation from High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), VORNvc, and private investors through Revier Invest Heidelberg.
The Revier Therapeutics Team
Revier Therapeutics
Funding from the round will support development of Revier’s preclinical cardiometabolic pipeline, including its lead program in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and its second program in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) as well as the build out of its operational, scientific and clinical functions.
“Despite significant progress in cardiovascular medicine, millions of patients with HFpEF and ASCVD still to date face limited targeted treatment options,” said Prof. Eva van Rooij, PhD, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Revier Therapeutics. “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.”
HDACs are enzymes that play a functional role in a variety of severe diseases. Pioneering discoveries, including foundational work at Heidelberg University led by Prof. Johannes Backs, MD, Revier’s scientific founder, defined the specific impact of class IIa HDACs on cardiometabolic diseases.
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.”
“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,” said Michael Hamacher, PhD, Managing Partner and CFO at KHAN Technology Transfer Fund II. “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.”
The Company’s seed financing includes support from a coalition of regional stakeholders and investors led by the business developer Daniel Stern (founder of Revier Invest Heidelberg), underscoring the strategic importance of biotechnology for both the local community and the state of Baden‑Württemberg.
In conjunction with the company launch, Revier announced its leadership team, bringing together renowned experts in cardiovascular science, drug discovery, clinical development and biotechnology.
Key leadership includes:
- Prof. Johannes Backs, MD, Scientific Founder – Director of the Institute of Experimental Cardiology at Heidelberg University, Director of the Helmholtz Institute for Translational AngioCardioScience (HI-TAC), and Professor of the German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK).
- Prof. Eva van Rooij, PhD, Chief Executive Officer – A serial biotechnology entrepreneur and Professor of Molecular Cardiology at University Medical Center Utrecht, with extensive expertise in cardiovascular translational research.
- Mike Nolan, PhD, Chief Technology Officer – A corresponding author of the initial publications describing selective class IIa HDAC inhibitors with 20+ years of industry experience in drug discovery, innovative research platforms, and company creation.
- Matthias Dewenter, MD, Chief Scientific Officer – An expert in translational cardiovascular research and the preclinical development of novel therapeutic approaches for heart failure and cardiometabolic disease.
- Prof. Norbert Frey, MD, Chief Medical Officer – Director of the Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pneumology at Heidelberg University Hospital, translational researcher, and clinical trial leader with decades of expertise advancing new treatments for cardiovascular disease.
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