Danish biotech company Acesion Pharma, which is actively developing therapeutic treatments for atrial fibrillation (AF), has raised 15.2 million DKK (2.5 million USD) in a new equity investment round. The round includes Boston-based Broadview Ventures as a new investor and current investor Novo Seeds.

The company is working on a treatment to prevent the recurrence of AF and maintain normal heart rhythm (maintenance therapy). The new investment from Novo Seeds and Broadview Ventures will specifically fund the development of the ongoing treatment of AF, a program that has been supported to date with funding from the Danish government through the “Innovation Fund Denmark” initiative.

AF is the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia and is characterized by an irregular and abnormally high frequency in the upper chambers of the heart, the atria. AF is associated with impaired quality of life, higher rate of hospitalization and increased risk of stroke and death. AF is often treated acutely with electrical shock to bring the heart back to its normal rhythm and existing drug therapies have limited benefits and are often associated with a risk of adverse effects.

Acesion Pharma also is developing a small molecule-based acute treatment of AF, a program funded by the Wellcome Trust Ltd. Within this program Acesion Pharma expects to select a development candidate in 2015.