Exploring the potential of soluble guanylyl cyclase stimulators and activators in heart failure

Heart failure (HF) is a life-threatening disease characterized by substantial morbidity and mortality. Yet despite recent advances, prognosis remains poor. Cyclic guanosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cGMP) mediates a wide range of physiological processes in various cell types. Its deficiency has been implicated in numerous pathological cardiovascular diseases, including HF, pulmonary hypertension (PH), and kidney disease. Therefore, restoring and enhancing the nitric oxide (NO)–soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC)–cGMP signalling pathway appears to have far-reaching therapeutic potential.

The discovery of sGC stimulators and activators marked a milestone in the field of NO–sGC–cGMP pharmacology, enabling NO-independent and long-acting enhancement of cGMP signalling without the formation of NO-derived radicals. Over a decade ago, the sGC stimulator riociguat was approved for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic PH (CTEPH). More recently, the sGC stimulator vericiguat was approved for symptomatic chronic HF. A number of sGC activators are currently being investigated for the treatment of chronic kidney diseases.

This review summarizes the evidence for NO–sGC–cGMP signalling in the regulation of cardiovascular and cardiac function, focusing on preclinical and clinical evidence for sGC stimulators and sGC activators in HF subtypes. Promising results have been observed in clinical trials of HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), but not in clinical trials of HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Further studies are needed to determine the precise mechanisms of action of sGC agonists in HF and associated cardiorenal diseases to fully leverage their therapeutic potential and address the challenges of implementing these agents in routine clinical practice.