Philips Launches EXIT-CVD Studies to Advance Heart Care

Amsterdam, the Netherlands, October 15, 2026

EXIT-CVD Targets Three Critical Stages of Heart Disease

The EXIT-CVD research consortium aims to address cardiovascular disease at three important stages, described as early, mid and late exit points. The early stage focuses on preventing disease progression through earlier detection and digital monitoring. The mid-stage approach emphasizes personalized risk assessment and targeted interventions intended to slow or reverse disease progression. The late-stage strategy investigates advanced therapies and care approaches that may support recovery and improve management of advanced cardiovascular conditions. The initiative addresses a substantial healthcare challenge. More than 60 million people in the European Union live with cardiovascular disease, which can progress from risk factors such as hypertension to atherosclerosis, heart attacks and heart failure. In many cases, disease progression can remain unnoticed until serious complications develop. By integrating diagnostic imaging, remote monitoring, artificial intelligence and clinical interventions, the consortium aims to generate evidence-based strategies that support earlier decisions and more individualized care. The project will evaluate these approaches through clinical studies across participating European healthcare systems. Researchers will assess their potential to improve clinical decision-making, patient outcomes and the practical delivery of cardiovascular services.

Clinical Studies Evaluate Imaging, AI and Remote Monitoring

The consortium will conduct 22 clinical studies involving more than 14,000 patients, examining several technologies intended to improve cardiovascular assessment and treatment. The CARDIO-CAM study will evaluate camera-based, in-hospital monitoring designed to capture cardiorespiratory signals and relevant clinical information without requiring conventional contact-based monitoring alone. The LEADER-PAD study will investigate spectral computed tomography (CT) approaches for earlier cardiovascular disease detection, risk stratification and personalized care pathways. Spectral CT can provide information about tissue characteristics beyond conventional anatomical imaging, potentially supporting more detailed assessment of cardiovascular conditions. The REMODEL-HF study will evaluate a nurse- and healthcare professional-led remote heart failure monitoring system in a multinational randomized study involving patients recently hospitalized for heart failure. The research aims to determine whether remote monitoring can help improve outcomes and optimize guideline-directed medical therapy. Other studies include the GUIDANCE-PCCT trial, which will compare photon-counting CT-guided percutaneous coronary intervention with standard angiography-guided procedures, and NOTIFY-2, which will validate artificial intelligence-driven imaging and electrocardiogram analysis to support earlier identification of left ventricular hypertrophy and assessment of underlying disease risk. These investigations will generate clinical evidence about the potential role of advanced imaging and digital technologies in different cardiovascular care settings. Their effectiveness and suitability will depend on the results of the individual studies.

European Partnership Emphasizes Accessible Cardiac Care

Beyond technological development, EXIT-CVD incorporates equity-by-design principles intended to address disparities in healthcare access. The consortium plans to co-create interventions with patients and examine socioeconomic, sex- and gender-related, and digital access barriers that can influence cardiovascular outcomes. A digitally enabled, FAIR-compliant data platform aligned with the European Health Data Space (EHDS) will support the integration and evaluation of research data. The initiative aims to make successful approaches easier to assess and potentially implement across different healthcare systems, while supporting responsible data use and broader accessibility. The partnership includes clinical and academic institutions, medical technology companies, pharmaceutical organizations, healthcare consultancies and patient representatives. This multidisciplinary structure is intended to connect research findings with real-world clinical practice and the needs of patients. For Philips, the initiative expands its involvement in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and healthcare informatics. For participating researchers and healthcare providers, the studies offer an opportunity to investigate how coordinated technologies and personalized interventions may improve cardiovascular care. The launch of EXIT-CVD marks the beginning of a five-year clinical research programme, not proof that the technologies will improve outcomes. Results from the 22 studies will be important in determining which approaches demonstrate meaningful clinical benefits and can be adopted across European healthcare systems.

Source: Royal Philips press release