Candesant Biomedical

Candesant Biomedical is a medical device company developing non-invasive treatments for hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating). Its lead product, the Brella SweatControl Patch (earlier referred to as CDX-101), is a topical patch applied to the underarm for up to three minutes in an in-office procedure, intended to reduce sweating for weeks to months without downtime. The patch received de novo clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on April 13, 2023, and is positioned for use in aesthetic and dermatology clinical settings.

The underlying approach, described by the company as targeted alkali thermolysis (TAT) or targeted sweat technology, relies on the principle that alkali metals generate energy on contact with water; by controlling the quantities of metal and water, energy is delivered precisely where sweat is present, targeting and inactivating the most active sweat glands. Clinical work includes a published pilot study in subjects with axillary hyperhidrosis and the randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled SAHARA pivotal trial, whose results were presented at the American Academy of Dermatology in March 2023.

The company was founded in San Francisco, California, and later relocated its headquarters, with listings variously citing San Francisco and Nashville, Tennessee. Reported founding dates range from September 2015 to 2016 across sources.

Founding story

The company was incorporated as a Delaware-style C-corp in San Francisco, with founding dates reported as September 2015 and 2016 across sources. Niquette Hunt is identified as co-founder and CEO, having previously developed and commercialized consumer medicine products at companies including Procter & Gamble and Warner-Lambert. The core technical insight was that alkali metals reacting with water generate energy, and that controlling the amounts of metal and water enables energy delivery targeted exactly at the site of moisture.

Business model

B2B2C hardware sales: Candesant manufactures a single-use in-office patch device sold to aesthetic clinicians and dermatology practices, which administer the treatment to patients. Commercialization began with a Brella Early Experience Program in 2023, followed by a planned national U.S. launch in 2024.

Revenue from sales of the single-use Brella SweatControl Patch device to clinical practices, which in turn charge patients for the in-office procedure.

Traction

The Brella SweatControl Patch received FDA de novo clearance in April 2023. Pivotal SAHARA trial results reported that 60% of treated participants achieved a 50% or greater reduction in sweat versus 33% of sham-treated participants, a mean gravimetric sweat production reduction of 57 mg over five minutes versus 18 mg for sham, and 64% of treated participants reporting sweating never or sometimes interfered with daily activities versus 44% for sham, with no serious or severe adverse events. Pilot study results were published in a dermatologic surgery journal. Brella won a 2023 Allure Best of Beauty Breakthrough Award. Third-party estimates place headcount at roughly 18 employees and annual revenue in the $1M-$10M range.

Latest developments

A debt financing involving Horizon Technology Finance Corporation is dated March 4, 2025. Patent publications titled "Medical devices for generating heat and methods of treatment using same" (February 2025) and "Systems, devices, and methods for deactivating alkali metal devices" (February 2026) are attributed to the company.