Palovarotene (Ro 3300074) is an agonist of nuclear retinoic acid receptor γ (RAR-γ).

Palovarotene effectively hinders post-traumatic chondrogenesis, osteogenesis, and significantly reduces trauma-induced ectopic bone formation. Through oral administration (1 mg/kg/day for 14 days, starting from either the first or fifth day post-operation), this compound markedly decreases subcutaneous and intramuscular heterotopic ossification (HO) in mice, achieving a reduction of 50 to 60% in HO, irrespective of treatment initiation timing or infection presence. In a specific study, Acvr1cR206H/+ mice were divided into two groups: one treated with Palovarotene and the other with a vehicle control for 14 days beginning on the injury's first day. Comparative analysis using micro-CT and 3D imaging on the 14th day revealed that while significant HO tissue masses developed in the vehicle-treated group, Palovarotene-treated mice showed over an 80% reduction in HO formation, based on bone volume/total volume metrics.