FORM 3

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *   Slagel Dean 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year) 01/30/2014 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol Cara Therapeutics, Inc. [CARA] (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O ESPERANTE AB, PO BOX 30127 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) (Street) LIMHAMN, V7 SE-20061 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 4) 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4) 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5) 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5) Common Stock 1,383,000 I By Esperante AB (1)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.			SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Series A Preferred Stock	  (2)	  (2)	Common Stock	80,000	$ (2)	I	By Esperante AB (1)
Series D Preferred Stock	  (3)	  (3)	Common Stock	84,149	$ (3)	I	By Esperante AB (1)

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Slagel Dean C/O ESPERANTE AB PO BOX 30127 LIMHAMN, V7 SE-20061	  X	Â	Â	Â

Signatures

/s/Darren DeStefano, Attorney-in-Fact		01/30/2014
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	These shares are owned by Esperante AB. The reporting person is a director of the issuer and the Managing Director of Esperante AB and, as such, holds voting and/or dispositive power of the shares held by Esperante AB. The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.
(2)	The Series A Preferred Stock held by Esperante AB will automatically convert on a 1-for-2.5 basis into shares of common stock upon the closing of the issuer's initial public offering. The Series A Preferred Stock has no expiration date.
(3)	The Series D Preferred Stock held by Esperante AB will automatically convert on a 1-for-2.5 basis into shares of common stock upon the closing of the issuer's initial public offering. The Series D Preferred Stock has no expiration date.
  Remarks: Exhibit List - Exhibit 24 - Power of Attorney

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