Med-tech approaches to treating obesity-related diseases have gained limited traction beyond bariatric surgery. That's in part because obesity itself is not considered a disease by the U.S. FDA and payers, so the focus is typically on ameliorating each of a series of associated disorders as they arise. Lexington, Mass.-based startup Fractyl Laboratories Inc. is developing a duodenal mucosal resurfacing system known as Revita. It resurfaces this uppermost part of the small intestine in an effort to mimic some of the benefits of bariatric surgery via a minimally invasive, endoscopic ablation procedure.

Philadelphia-based Healthverity Inc. reported it closed a $25 million series C investment round led by existing investor Foresite Capital. Other major investors included Flare Capital Partners and Greycroft. The new investments bring Healthverity's total venture capital funding to $42.3 million and will be used to further develop the company's health care data platform and expand its marketing.