Company Description
Cardiol Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: CRDL, TSX: CRDL) is a clinical-stage life sciences company focused on developing anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic therapies for the treatment of heart disease. Classified in medicinal and botanical manufacturing within the broader manufacturing sector, the company is advancing small-molecule drug candidates designed to address inflammation and fibrosis that contribute to serious cardiac conditions, including pericarditis, myocarditis, and heart failure.
The company’s lead drug candidate is CardiolRx™, a pharmaceutically manufactured cannabidiol oral solution described as a small-molecule therapy that modulates inflammasome pathway activation. This intracellular pathway is recognized as playing an important role in the development and progression of inflammation and fibrosis associated with pericarditis, myocarditis, and heart failure. CardiolRx™ is in clinical development for heart disease and has been studied across multiple clinical programs.
Core Clinical Programs
Cardiol Therapeutics has received Investigational New Drug Application authorization from the United States Food and Drug Administration to conduct clinical studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of CardiolRx™ in two heart diseases: recurrent pericarditis and acute myocarditis. These programs are organized into named clinical initiatives that structure the company’s development strategy.
The MAVERIC Program is evaluating CardiolRx™ for the treatment of recurrent pericarditis, an inflammatory disease of the pericardium associated with debilitating chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, and resulting physical limitations, reduced quality of life, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations. The program includes the completed Phase II MAvERIC-Pilot study (NCT05494788) and an ongoing pivotal Phase III MAVERIC trial (NCT06708299). According to company disclosures, the U.S. FDA has granted Orphan Drug Designation to CardiolRx™ for the treatment of pericarditis, including recurrent pericarditis.
The ARCHER Program focuses on acute myocarditis, an inflammatory disease of the myocardium that is described as an important cause of acute and fulminant heart failure in young adults and a leading cause of sudden cardiac death in individuals under 35 years of age. ARCHER is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center Phase II clinical trial (NCT05180240) investigating the safety, tolerability, and impact of CardiolRx™ on myocardial recovery. The study enrolled more than 100 patients from leading cardiovascular research centers in the United States, France, Brazil, and Israel.
Topline and subsequent data from ARCHER indicate that CardiolRx™ improved multiple cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) measures of myocardial recovery in patients with acute myocarditis. Reported findings include a notable improvement in extracellular volume (ECV) and a significant reduction in left ventricular (LV) mass compared with placebo after 12 weeks of double-blind therapy, along with reductions in measures related to extracellular and intracellular volume and parameters such as left atrial end systolic volume. Company communications describe these results as providing clinical proof of concept for CardiolRx™ and supporting its further development in inflammatory cardiac disorders.
Focus on Inflammatory Heart Disease
Across its programs, Cardiol Therapeutics emphasizes the role of chronic inflammation as a driver of adverse cardiac remodeling and heart failure. By targeting inflammasome pathway activation and related mechanisms, CardiolRx™ is being evaluated in conditions characterized by edema, fibrosis, and remodeling of cardiac tissue. The company’s disclosures highlight that there are no FDA-approved drug therapies specifically indicated for acute myocarditis, and that recurrent pericarditis is associated with substantial symptom burden and healthcare utilization.
In recurrent pericarditis, the MAVERIC Phase III trial is described as a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center international study evaluating CardiolRx™ for the prevention of disease recurrence. The primary endpoint, assessed after six months of double-blind treatment, is freedom from a new episode of recurrent pericarditis. Secondary endpoints include the percentage of days with no or minimal pericarditis pain, changes in pericarditis pain scores, and changes in the inflammatory biomarker C-reactive protein (CRP). The company has reported that the Phase II MAvERIC-Pilot study showed rapid and sustained reductions in pericarditis pain and inflammation and a reduction in recurrence events per year, with CardiolRx™ described as safe and well tolerated in that setting.
In acute myocarditis, the ARCHER trial is designed to assess CMR parameters such as extracellular volume and global longitudinal strain, which are recognized as prognostic markers in this condition. Company reports state that CardiolRx™ was safe and well tolerated in ARCHER, with treatment-emergent adverse events leading to discontinuation and serious adverse events balanced between active and placebo groups.
Pipeline Beyond CardiolRx™
In addition to CardiolRx™, Cardiol Therapeutics is developing CRD-38, described as a novel, subcutaneously administered drug formulation intended for use in inflammatory heart disease, including heart failure. Company materials characterize heart failure as a leading cause of death and hospitalization in the developed world, with substantial associated healthcare costs in the United States. CRD-38 is positioned as a next-generation therapy that targets similar biology to CardiolRx™ but via subcutaneous administration, with development aimed at broader heart failure indications.
The company has also reported receiving a Notice of Allowance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a patent application titled “Cannabidiol Compositions for Use in Treating Heart Conditions.” Once issued, this patent is expected to provide intellectual property protection in the U.S. for the use of CardiolRx™ and CRD-38 in the treatment or prevention of a range of cardiac conditions, including heart failure, myocarditis, acute pericarditis, inflammatory cardiomyopathy, cardiac toxicity from anti-cancer therapies, and atherosclerosis, with coverage extending to late 2040. Cardiol notes that this U.S. allowance complements granted and pending patent applications in other regions.
Regulatory and Designation Highlights
Cardiol Therapeutics’ disclosures emphasize several regulatory milestones that shape the company’s development path:
- Investigational New Drug (IND) authorization from the U.S. FDA to study CardiolRx™ in recurrent pericarditis and acute myocarditis.
- Orphan Drug Designation from the U.S. FDA for CardiolRx™ in pericarditis, including recurrent pericarditis.
- Phase II and Phase III clinical programs in inflammatory cardiac diseases with named protocols (MAvERIC-Pilot, MAVERIC, ARCHER).
These elements collectively define Cardiol’s positioning as a late-stage, clinical-stage life sciences company focused on inflammatory mechanisms in heart disease.
Capital Markets and Listings
Cardiol Therapeutics Inc. is listed on both the Nasdaq and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol CRDL. As a foreign private issuer, it files reports on Form 6-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including financial statements, management’s discussion and analysis, news releases, and other regulatory documents. The company has disclosed private placement financings that support its clinical development plans, including funding for the pivotal Phase III MAVERIC trial and for advancing CRD-38 into clinical development.
Business Model and Sector Context
Within medicinal and botanical manufacturing, Cardiol Therapeutics operates as a clinical-stage life sciences company rather than a commercial manufacturer of approved drugs. Its activities center on research, clinical development, and intellectual property related to small-molecule therapies targeting cardiac inflammation and fibrosis. Revenue-generating commercialization is not described in the provided materials; instead, the emphasis is on advancing CardiolRx™ and CRD-38 through clinical trials, securing regulatory designations, and building an intellectual property portfolio in cardiovascular indications.
FAQs about Cardiol Therapeutics Inc. (CRDL)
- What does Cardiol Therapeutics Inc. do?
Cardiol Therapeutics Inc. is a clinical-stage life sciences company focused on developing anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic therapies for heart disease. Its lead small-molecule drug candidate, CardiolRx™, is a pharmaceutically manufactured cannabidiol oral solution in clinical development for conditions such as recurrent pericarditis and acute myocarditis. - What is CardiolRx™?
CardiolRx™ is described by the company as a small-molecule drug candidate and cannabidiol oral solution that modulates inflammasome pathway activation. This pathway is associated with inflammation and fibrosis in cardiac conditions including pericarditis, myocarditis, and heart failure, and CardiolRx™ is being evaluated in clinical trials targeting these diseases. - Which clinical programs are currently associated with CardiolRx™?
CardiolRx™ is being studied in the MAVERIC Program for recurrent pericarditis, which includes the completed Phase II MAvERIC-Pilot study and an ongoing pivotal Phase III MAVERIC trial, and in the ARCHER Program, a Phase II randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in acute myocarditis. Both programs are designed to assess safety, tolerability, and effects on disease-related endpoints. - What is the MAVERIC Program in recurrent pericarditis?
The MAVERIC Program evaluates CardiolRx™ in recurrent pericarditis, an inflammatory disease of the pericardium associated with chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, and frequent healthcare utilization. It comprises a completed Phase II MAvERIC-Pilot study and an ongoing Phase III MAVERIC trial that uses endpoints such as freedom from recurrent pericarditis episodes and measures of pain and inflammation. - What is the ARCHER trial in acute myocarditis?
ARCHER is a Phase II multi-national, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that investigates the safety, tolerability, and impact of CardiolRx™ on myocardial recovery in patients with acute myocarditis. It uses cardiac magnetic resonance imaging parameters, including extracellular volume and global longitudinal strain, to evaluate structural and functional changes in the heart. - Has CardiolRx™ received any special regulatory designations?
According to company disclosures, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Orphan Drug Designation to CardiolRx™ for the treatment of pericarditis, including recurrent pericarditis. Cardiol has also received IND authorization to conduct clinical studies in recurrent pericarditis and acute myocarditis. - What is CRD-38?
CRD-38 is a novel, subcutaneously administered drug formulation that Cardiol Therapeutics is developing for inflammatory heart disease, including heart failure. Company materials describe it as a next-generation therapy intended for use in heart failure, which is characterized as a leading cause of death and hospitalization in the developed world. - On which exchanges does Cardiol Therapeutics trade and under what symbol?
Cardiol Therapeutics Inc. trades on the Nasdaq and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol CRDL. As a foreign issuer, it files regulatory reports such as Form 6-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. - What type of SEC filings does Cardiol Therapeutics submit?
The company submits Form 6-K reports that can include condensed interim consolidated financial statements, management’s discussion and analysis, certifications of interim filings, and news releases related to financings, clinical trial updates, and intellectual property developments. - Is Cardiol Therapeutics focused on commercialization or development?
Based on the provided information, Cardiol Therapeutics is described as a clinical-stage company. Its primary activities relate to research, clinical development, and intellectual property in anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic therapies for heart disease, rather than the commercial sale of approved pharmaceutical products.