SAN MATEO, Calif., Dec. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Cala Health, the non-invasive bioelectronic medicine leader, today announced it has completed the initial closing of an oversubscribed $50 million growth round, co-led by Vertex Growth Fund and Nexus NeuroTech Ventures. All existing Cala investors participated in the round, including Action Potential, Johnson & Johnson (through its corporate venture capital organization, Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc.), Lightstone, Lux Capital, GV (Google Ventures), OSF Ventures, Ascension Ventures, TriVentures, Reimagined Ventures, Peak6 and Fiscus.

“This round of funding will propel Cala’s commercialization trajectory, notably with the recent positive Medicare Coverage Determination for Cala TAPS™ (Transcutaneous Afferent Patterned Stimulation) Therapy. It allows us to broaden patient and physician awareness of this effective and innovative treatment,” said Deanna Harshbarger, Cala Chief Executive Officer. “We are very excited about the strong support from both our legacy and new investors who believe in our vision and first in class, on-demand technology to address tremor relief.”

Cala is continuing to build strong clinical evidence to expand patient access for our neurostimulation therapy. The results of a study by CVS Health, presented at the Movement Disorders Congress this year, concluded that TAPS therapy offers substantial benefits for patients with essential tremor (ET) in reducing ET-related healthcare resource utilization (HCRU), healthcare costs and improving clinical outcomes.

ET impacts over 7 million people in the United States and is characterized by uncontrollable movement that can make critical daily activities very difficult. Drugs are most used to treat ET, but they can cause a range of unwanted side effects such as fatigue, nausea and depression and may not provide desired outcomes. Surgical options like Deep Brain Stimulation or Focused Ultrasound ablation can be effective but are invasive procedures that carry the risk of potentially irreversible side effects.

The Cala kIQ System with TAPS™ Therapy is the only non-invasive, FDA-cleared, wearable device that delivers effective therapy for action hand tremor relief in people with essential tremor and Parkinson’s disease. The TAPS device is clinician-prescribed and clinically proven to safely and effectively reduce action hand tremors. The Cala kIQ device treats tremor by sensing each patient’s unique tremor signature and delivering individualized stimulation to the nerves on the wrist that then reach the brain to counteract tremor. 

About Cala Health

Cala Health is a bioelectronic medicine company transforming the standard of care for chronic disease. The company’s wearable neuromodulation therapies merge innovations in neuroscience and technology to deliver individualized peripheral nerve stimulation, and its direct-to-home digital durable medical equipment (DME) platform is reshaping the delivery of prescription therapies. Cala Health’s products are the only FDA-cleared, clinically validated noninvasive devices for the relief of hand tremors, allowing patients with essential tremor to return to the moments that matter. New therapies are under development in neurology, cardiology, and psychiatry. Founded in 2014, the company is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area and backed by leading investors in both healthcare and technology.

The Cala kIQ™ device is indicated to aid in the temporary relief of hand tremors in the treated hand following stimulation in adults with essential tremor. The Cala kIQ device is indicated to aid in the temporary relief of postural and kinetic hand tremor symptoms that impact some activities of daily living in the treated hand following stimulation in adults with Parkinson’s disease. The Cala kIQ device delivers Transcutaneous Afferent Patterned Stimulation (TAPS) therapy.

Caution: Federal law restricts this device to sale by or on the order of a physician. Prior to use, refer to the product labeling for complete product instructions for use, contraindications, warnings, and precautions at https://calahealth.com.

About Vertex Growth
Vertex Growth is dedicated to partnering with exceptional entrepreneurs and promising companies on the cusp of growth. The firm provides expansion capital to realize the companies’ vision of creating a category champion that is enduring and transformational. Part of Vertex’s global network of venture capital funds, Vertex Growth accesses opportunities emerging from the leading innovation hubs around the world and drive significant value by working closely with the Vertex ecosystem of portfolio companies and partners. For more information about Vertex Growth, please visit: https://vertexgrowth.com

About Nexus NeuroTech Ventures
Nexus NeuroTech Ventures is an investment firm dedicated to advancing pioneering technologies—including medical devices, software, diagnostics, technology-enabled care services, and research tools—for brain disorders. Spanning seed through crossover, Nexus invests with the goal of improving the lives of patients affected by neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, and neuropsychiatric conditions. See http://www.nexusneurotech.com for more information.

SOURCE Cala Health

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