Funding will accelerate commercialization of innovative, FDA-cleared wearable treatments for managing essential tremors
Niterra Ventures today announced its participation in the oversubscribed $50M funding round for Cala, the bioelectronic medicine leader. Recognized by Fast Company's list of the Most Innovative Medical Device Companies in 2025, Cala's products are the only FDA-cleared, clinically validated, noninvasive devices for the relief of action hand tremors in essential tremor and Parkinson’s disease.
Nearly 10 million Americans experience essential tremor and are unable to control their hands to complete everyday tasks. The Cala kIQ™ System with TAPS™ therapy provides transcutaneous afferent patterned stimulation to reduce tremor severity for daily activities of living such as eating, drinking, writing and self care. The Cala wearable device delivers individualized stimulation to counteract tremor noninvasively, through the nerves that run from your wrist to your brain. In 2024, Cala’s TAPS therapy received Medicare coverage in all 50 states.
“Cala's unique approach to managing essential tremors represents a platform technology that can pave the way to meaningfully benefit many people living with different chronic conditions, now and in the future,” said Deanna Harshbarger, CEO of Cala Health. “Niterra Ventures’ investment opens commercialization opportunities and enables us to scale our team to drive broader adoption and engagement, helping more people live better lives.”
Cala TAPS Therapy has been validated across multiple clinical studies in over 2,000 patients. Most recently during the International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders (MDS) Conference, Cala announced results that reinforced the brain-based mechanism of TAPS™ therapy through PET imaging and the publication of a groundbreaking study in the journal Brain Stimulation. This study provides new evidence that non-invasive Cala TAPS™ therapy reduces tremor in patients with essential tremor (ET) by directly modulating neural activity in the brain. Earlier this year, Cala announced that analysis of data from the multi-center PROSPECT study (263 patients) indicates consistent usage of Cala TAPS Therapy reduces underlying tremor severity.
With this investment, Cala will scale commercial operations and expand its sales and marketing efforts to educate both patients and healthcare providers about this innovative therapy.
“Niterra Ventures supports opportunities that improve life quality through cutting-edge technologies,” said Dirk Schapeler, president of Niterra Ventures. “Cala‘s commitment to transforming the standard of care for patients and clinicians through customer-centric innovation shows in its success in demonstrating clinical value and gaining Medicare support. Our investment in Cala aligns with our mission for utilizing new technologies and therapies that improve chronic disease management and enhance a person’s overall quality of life.”
As a part of its effort in healthcare, Niterra Ventures Company is investing in technology detecting and assessing chronic conditions, including related to cardiology, oncology, neurology and hypertension.
About Cala®
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 in essential tremor and Parkinson’s disease. New therapies are under development in neurology, cardiology, and other chronic condition. 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 Niterra Ventures Company
Niterra Ventures Company is the venture arm of Niterra Co., Ltd. (formerly NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.). Niterra, a coined word combining the Latin words “niteo” (shine) and “terra” (Earth), was introduced in April 2023 to express the reborn company's commitment to sustainability through an evolving portfolio focused on ceramics and beyond. Under the corporate message “IGNITE YOUR SPIRIT,” Niterra is expanding into the growth fields of mobility, healthcare, environment and energy, and communications. The company's consolidated revenues in fiscal 2022 (to March 2023) totaled 562.6 billion yen (4,167 million USD). Niterra has 33 bases in Japan and 59 overseas, and more than 16,000 employees worldwide. Please visit https://niterraventures.com.
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Contacts
Media contact:
Heather Caouette
RAE Communications for Niterra Ventures Company
+1 508-579-3894
heatherc@rae-communications.com