WASHINGTON DC — (MARKET WIRE) — 12/21/10 — Venture capitalists predict venture firms will invest more and chief executive officers of venture-backed companies expect to hire more, sell more and get paid more in 2011, according to results of the 2011 Venture View predictions survey, conducted by the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) and Dow Jones VentureSource. While optimism about the venture industry and the national economy prevailed, VCs were divided on how fundraising will trend in the forthcoming year.

The annual Venture View survey reflects responses from more than 330 venture capitalists in the U.S. and 180 CEOs of U.S.-based venture-backed companies collected between Nov. 29 and Dec. 10, 2010. http://www.streetinsider.com/Insiders+Blog/Confidence+Grows+in+Start-Up+Economy+as+Venture+Capitalists+and+CEOs+Predict+Industry+%26amp%3B+Economic+Improvement+in+2011/6175432.html

More bottles of atorvastatin (Lipitor) that give off a musty odor have been found — prompting its manufacturer, Pfizer, to expand its ongoing recall.

The new recall involves an additional, unspecified lot of 19,000 bottles of atorvastatin 40 mg, bringing the total pulled off the market to 360,000 bottles. http://www.medpagetoday.com/ProductAlert/Prescriptions/24010?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&impressionId=&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_source=&userid=

The FDA has approved the Endurant stent graft system, adding to the list of similar endovascular devices for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms. http://www.medpagetoday.com/ProductAlert/DevicesandVaccines/24014

MINNEAPOLIS, Dec 17, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE:MDT) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved its Arctic Front(R) Cardiac CryoAblation Catheter system, the first and only Cryoballoon in the United States indicated for the treatment of drug refractory paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). The Cryoballoon treatment involves a minimally-invasive procedure that efficiently creates circumferential lesions around the pulmonary vein, which is the source of erratic electrical signals that cause the irregular heartbeat. http://www.cnbc.com/id/40719129

Cardiovascular Systems Inc. (CSI), based in New Brighton, Minnesota, has raised $5 million from the sale of debt, according to documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. http://www.medcitynews.com/2010/12/minnesota-medical-device-maker-csi-raises-5-million/

Devicemakers will keep a watchful eye on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as it implements accountable care organizations (ACOs), a new payment reform that could affect device innovation. CMS plans to propose regulations for ACOs by the end of this month, which would make them the first major payment reform mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to be implemented, AdvaMed says.

Stereotaxis Inc. (NSDQ:STXS), Casenet LLC and Capricor Inc. each raised new funding through various financial instruments.

St. Louis, Mo.-based Stererotaxis closed on a $40 million credit facility that the company first announced in November. http://www.massdevice.com/news/stereotaxis-casenet-capricor-close-out-year-with-new-funding

Boston Scientific Corp. (NYSE:BSX) reached an agreement with Massachusetts for eight years of retroactive tax credits.

The Natick, Mass.-based medical device giant failed to meet the job creation requirements for a state tax break, but negotiated for the new deal with an exchange for expanding its operations on the North Quincy, Mass. waterfront, according to The Patriot Ledger. http://www.massdevice.com/news/boston-scientific-wins-tax-break-bay-state

Medtronic CEO William Hawkins III unexpectedly announced his retirement on Monday after a three-year tenure in which the medical device giant struggled to develop new blockbuster products to replace its traditional moneymakers. http://www.startribune.com/business/112184959.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUvckD8EQDUZ

LOUISVILLE, KY — (MARKET WIRE) — 12/16/10 — Neuronetrix today announced the first test of the COGNISION(TM) System as part of the company’s pivotal multi-center clinical trial. The first subject was tested December 10th at the University of Kentucky’s Sanders-Brown Alzheimer’s Disease Center. The multi-center study will evaluate Neuronetrix’s proprietary COGNISION(TM) System as a practical non-invasive test for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease.http://www.qmed.com/news/27672/neuronetrix-begins-pivotal-multi-center-clinical-trial-alzheimers-diagnostic-device