• AnaMar Medical AB, of Stockholm, Sweden, raised SEK 75 million (US$9.6 million) in a rights issue guaranteed by the company's principal owner Koncentra Holding AB, which will finance continued development of its projects in chronic joint diseases. Funds will support a Phase I study of AM240 MCR, a small-molecule compound that has been shown in preclinical studies to suppress inflammation and cartilage destruction in disease models for rheumatoid arthritis. The company anticipates submitting a clinical trials application early next year.

• Certus Pharmaceuticals Inc., of South San Francisco, Calif., received a private equity investment from asset management firm Ascenion GmbH. The amount of the investment was not disclosed. Certus licensed nanoparticle-based cancer drug delivery technology from Ascenion and has obtained preliminary proof of concept with two drug candidates.

• Northwest Biotherapeutics Inc., of Bethesda, Md., obtained about $1.7 million in funding pursuant to a loan agreement and promissory notes with SDS Capital Group SPC Ltd. and a group of private investors. The company said a significant portion of the proceeds will provide strategic funding for expansion of its programs and capacity outside the U.S., in locations other than Switzerland. Proceeds are expected to be used for operating expenses and other obligations, including the establishment of GMP manufacturing facilities, regulatory filings, clinical trial expenses, product manufacturing and sales and other related costs. The loan is expected to fund Northwest's cash needs into December, and the company said it remains in advanced stage negotiations for additional near-term and longer-term funding, which it hopes to complete by the end of this year. The company recently received FDA clearance for a Phase III trial of its DCVax-Prostate candidate in prostate cancer.