About EXIT-CVD

Turning cardiovascular disease from a terminal pathway into a preventable condition

EXIT-CVD is a five-year, €27.6 million public–private partnership supported by the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking — uniting 42 organisations across 17 countries to find strategic “exit points” where disease progression can be halted or reversed.

Healthy
Risk Factors
Atherosclerosis
Heart Failure
Cardiac Event

The Continuum

Three exit points where intervention changes everything

The project focuses on identifying critical “exit points” along the cardiovascular disease continuum — moments where timely, personalised intervention can slow, stop, or even reverse disease progression before severe outcomes occur.

Doctor consulting a patient via video call for remote cardiovascular care

Patient prepared for MRI scanning in a clinical imaging suite

Early Exit

Prevention & Early Detection

This phase focuses on early-stage detection, management of cardiovascular risks, and interventions aimed at preventing disease progression from subclinical states.

View early exit studies

Mid Exit

Imaging-Guided Stratification

Studies in this phase target improved diagnostic precision, accurate risk stratification, and optimal clinical management for patients presenting with established cardiovascular conditions.

View mid exit studies

Late Exit

Advanced Cardiac Recovery

Targeted therapeutic interventions in this phase address advanced CVD, structural heart damage, and strategies aimed at promoting myocardial recovery and enhancing quality of life in severely affected patients.

View late exit studies

Background

Why cardiovascular care needs a new exit strategy

Heart disease rarely appears overnight. It builds across decades — yet most systems still respond only after damage is done. EXIT-CVD was launched to intervene earlier, smarter, and more equitably along that continuum.

**Along the continuum** Early detection · Stratified care · Recovery

Challenges

Barriers we must address together

Cardiovascular disease remains Europe's leading cause of death. Despite advances in treatment, three structural barriers still prevent patients from leaving the disease pathway in time.

Vision & direction

Where EXIT-CVD is heading

The partnership combines scientific ambition with a clear path to clinical and policy impact — from early detection in primary care to advanced recovery in heart failure.

A future where cardiovascular disease is detected early, treated precisely, and — where possible — reversed before advanced heart failure becomes inevitable. EXIT-CVD envisions a continent-wide model of care built on evidence-based exit points at every stage of the disease continuum.

Early Detection

AI-enhanced monitoring and wearable technologies enable earlier identification of cardiovascular risk factors before symptoms escalate.

AI · Wearables

Precision Diagnostics

Advanced imaging and data-driven approaches support more accurate, personalised clinical decisions across Europe.

Imaging · AI Risk

Integrated Digital Care

FAIR-compliant digital platforms improve patient monitoring and support cross-border healthcare innovation.

FAIR · Digital Platforms

Regenerative Therapies

Novel therapeutic approaches explore how damaged heart tissue can be repaired and restored.

Gene Therapy · Tissue Repair

Equity-by-Design

The project prioritises accessibility and inclusion, ensuring innovations reach underserved populations across Europe.

Inclusion · Access

Designed for Real-World Impact

Innovation that reaches everyone

EXIT-CVD adopts an equity-by-design approach to ensure that healthcare innovation benefits all communities — not only those with the easiest access to care.

Women and underrepresented patient groups
Socioeconomically disadvantaged populations
Communities in Central and Eastern Europe
Cross-border healthcare accessibility
Long-term healthcare sustainability

0 Partner Organisations Academic, MedTech, Pharma, SMEs & Societies

0 Countries Europe + Canada & USA

0 Clinical Studies Across all exit points