Investors have invested $19.8 million into Sapheon Inc. (Morrisville, NC), the manufacturer of a minimally invasive device that uses medical glue to seal varicose veins in the leg.Varicose veins are often treating with liquid chemicals to cause scarring or with laser or heat. In contrast, Sapheon is commercializing a disposable kit so that physicians can administer its proprietary medical adhesive in an office setting. The new technology uses ultrasound to guide a catheter to the affected part of the vein through a small incision. The VenaSeal dispenser then injects small amounts of glue in the vein and applies pressure to the skin to close it. This minimally invasive procedure, according to the company, does not require multiple needle sticks, posttreatment medication, or compression garments.While the EU approved Sapheon's varicose vein system in September 2011, a U.S. clinical trial is now testing the system's safety and effectiveness against radio-frequency thermal ablation at 10 sites.