InterWest adds Visiogen founder Zadno to medical devices team

InterWest Partners added Dr. Reza Zadno as a venture partner to its medical devices team. The Menlo Park-based venture capital firm specializes in technology and life science investments, the venture capital firm said Tuesday.

One-on-One with Dan Adelman, chief medical officer of celiac disease drug developer Alvine Pharmaceuticals

A gluten-free diet is great for celiac disease patients, but even the strictest adherents to dietary restrictions can experience flare ups or chronic symptoms.
That’s where Alvine Pharmaceuticals Inc. comes in with a drug that could make a huge impact. The San Carlos company earlier this month reported results of a Phase IIa trial that showed that its drug, ALV-003, could make a difference in helping patients with gluten-limiting celiac disease. It is the first mid-stage study to get positive results in modulating the immune system’s response to the storage protein.
The 15-employee company is backed by Sofinnova Ventures, InterWest Partners, Prospect Venture Partners, Flagship Ventures, Black River Asset Management and Panorama Capital.

Implant company NeuroPace raises $49M

NeuroPace Inc. has secured $49 million in venture capital funding that could end up being as much as $61.9 million, according to a regulatory filing on Tuesday.
The Mountain View-based company specializes in implantable devices for treating neurological disorders by responsive brain stimulation.