Oncology drugmaker ProCertus closes on $2.1 million

MADISON, Wisconsin — ProCertus BioPharm will use $2.1 million in private investment to start several clinical trials on drugs that fight the side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

The oncology drugmaker also said Tuesday it has started enrolling patients in a clinical trial to test whether its drug, DermX, can prevent radiodermatitis, a skin inflammation caused by radiation therapy. It’s also developing ProDermaCel, which prevents hair loss, and OralX, which protects against radiation-induced inflammation on the digestive tract. Trials for those drugs should begin next year.

Novartis Venture Fund and Venture Investors, both previous investors, lead this round. The company raised $2.7 million in 2007, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.