It was a banner day for minimally invasive weight-loss devices July 28. FDA approved ReShape Medical's intragastric balloon and Aspire Bariatrics submitted an application for its AspireAssist aspiration therapy system for obesity. Two days later, GI Dynamics announced the termination of a pivotal study for its Endobarrier device.

It was a banner day for minimally invasive weight-loss devices July 28. FDA approved ReShape Medical's intragastric balloon and, on the same day, Aspire Bariatrics reached a key milestone with the PMA submission for its AspireAssist aspiration therapy system for obesity. Two days later, GI Dynamics announced the termination of a pivotal study for its Endobarrier device.

Nearly half of the world’s adult population will be overweight or obese by 2030 and obesity is tied to more than 40 diseases. Enterprising companies are heeding the call with increasingly less invasive weight loss devices, while an amenable regulatory environment means the marketplace will welcome some of these innovations in 2015.

Derived from Strategic Transactions, Informa’s premium source for tracking life sciences deal activity, the Venture Funding column provides a comprehensive monthly review of emerging life science companies that have received VC funding, including companies within the In Vitro Diagnostics, Medical Devices, and Pharmaceuticals sectors. This month’s column covers deals announced June through August 2014.