Globally, CVD is the leading cause of death, with resurgence in higher-income countries and higher prevalence in low- and middle-income countries. While there have been many advancements made to this indication using wearables and advanced diagnostics and devices, growth in therapeutics has been veiled. Traditional pharmacotherapy faces the drawback of being highly invasive and causing damage to the liver, kidneys, and other organs, as well as having other side effects. In addition, cardiac surgeries are complex procedures with the possibility of postoperative complications.

For several years, small-molecule therapies have dominated cardiovascular therapies. However, they may not have uniform effectiveness in all patients; hence, targeted therapeutics are required. There was a brief period when the number of drug approvals for CVDs was lower than for other indications and drugs being developed for similar mechanisms of action; nevertheless, the industry has grown with the development of new enabling technologies that can assist the development of targeted therapies, such as gene therapies, gene editing platforms, RNA therapies, and regenerative medicine. Targeted therapies can be explored for CVDs, as some diseases (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy [HCM], for example) are caused by the MYH6 gene mutation or an abnormal protein, such as the fibroblast activation protein (FAP), in cardiac fibrosis.

This study explores the pipeline of drugs in development and emphasizes how the oldest modality, small molecules, is still being actively pursued and adopted, even amidst the growing number of gene therapies, which are likely to become the standard of care in the next 10-15 years.
The study also discusses various technological advancements, novel innovations, and the investor ecosystem. It does not include details about drug devices, diagnostic techniques, and remote monitoring technologies.