Cara Care (acquired by Mahana Therapeutics)

Cara Care, founded in 2016, is a digital health company that develops therapeutic applications for gastrointestinal disorders. The company's flagship product, Cara Care for IBS, is a digital therapeutic app designed to help patients manage irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The app provides personalized treatment plans, including nutritional recommendations, audio-guided hypnosis, and behavioral therapy exercises. It employs a holistic approach, combining innovative research on gastrointestinal health with technology to deliver personalized, motivating, and always-available treatment via smartphone.

The app analyzes individual symptoms to provide tailored therapy aimed at improving quality of life. 73% of users experience a clinically relevant improvement in symptoms. The therapy was approved by the German federal health authority as the first reimbursable prescription digital therapeutic in the gastrointestinal space. As of January 2022, Cara Care for IBS became available as a prescription digital therapeutic in Germany, with costs reimbursed by statutory health insurances under the Digital healthcare Act.

In March 2024, Cara Care was acquired by Mahana Therapeutics, a San Francisco-based company that develops digital treatments for chronic conditions. The acquisition was expected to accelerate Mahana's market entry in Europe and expand Cara Care's offerings to the US market. Following the acquisition, the combined entity offers a comprehensive digestive health portfolio addressing IBS, Irritable Bowel Disorder (IBD), Celiac Disease, and Heartburn, with plans to expand into other areas such as Tinnitus, Pruritus, and Vulvodynia.

Key customers and partnerships

Cara Care's IBS prescription-based digital program was being prescribed and reimbursed to thousands of patients in Germany as of March 2024. The company has collaborated with Bayer, although specific details of this partnership were not provided. Cara Care reported having close to 1 million users across various gastrointestinal conditions, including IBS, inflammatory bowel disease, and acid reflux. The company has also worked with healthcare professionals who recommend the app to patients.