Miles Electric Vehicles, maker of zero-emissions vehicles well-suited for fleet applications — including low-speed trucks — has brought in $1 million of a targeted $55.6 million round of equity, according to a filing with the SEC. Based in Santa Monica, Calif., the company is backed by Angeleno Group, among others. It previously raised $55 million over two rounds of funding.

Palantir, a firm that provides analytics software to government agencies and financial institutions to track everything from terrorist networks to investment opportunities, has just opened a $1.2 million round of rights and securities, according to Dow Jones VentureWire. Based in Palo Alto, Calif., the company is backed by In-Q-Tel, the Founders Fund and Reed Elsevier Ventures. It landed $35 million in equity last month. In June, VentureBeat ran a detailed story on Palantir’s growth and ambitions.

Trigemina, a pharmaceutical maker working on therapies for acute and chronic pain, has brought in $305,000 of an anticipated $999,000 round of equity and rights, according to a filing with the SEC. Based in Mountain View, Calif., the company is backed by grants from the National Institutes of Health, as well as equity from private sources.

TriCipher, maker of the myOneLogin software for identity authentication on apps offered through the likes of SalesForce.com, Google and WebEx, has raised $3 million by issuing a new round of convertible promissory notes, according to a filing with the SEC. Based in Los Gatos, Calif., the company is backed by ArrowPath Venture Capital, Intel Capital, Trident Capital, RBC Technology Ventures and Epic Ventures. It has now raised $33 million to date.

Skybox Security, provider of risk assessment and compliance enforcement software to companies and organizations of all sizes, has brought in $2 million through a fourth-round offering of preferred stock, according to a filing with the SEC. Based in San Jose, Calif., the company is backed by Benchmark Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Mitsubishi, Carmel Ventures, Valley Ventures and Rembrandt Ventures. It has now raised $36.5 million to date.

Revance Therapeutics, a company deriving new methods for delivering botox across skin membranes (moving away from needles), has raised $25.6 million in a fourth round of venture funding, according to a filing with the SEC. Based in Newark, Calif., the company is backed by a large flock of investors, including Essex Woodlands Health Ventures, Vivo Ventures, Technology Partners, Bio*One Capital, Medicis Pharmaceutical, Palo Alto Investors, Pac-Link Management, Shepherd Ventures, Leader Ventures and Horizon Technology Finance.

Alien Technology, maker of radio frequency identification tags that could be used to track various items over large distances, has brought in $9.5 million of an expected $13.5 million round of equity, debt and rights, according to a filing with the SEC. Based in Morgan Hill, Calif., the company is backed by Advanced Equities, New Enterprise Associates, Rho Capital Partners and SunBridge Partners. It has now raised $329 million to date.

Curse, a social network connecting fans of massively multiplayer online games, has brought in $6 million in a second round of funding, according to a filing with the SEC. Based in San Francisco, the company is backed by Ventech Capital, AGF Private Equity, and SoftTech VC. It has now raised $11 million to date.

Novartis, a company that produces and distributes a variety of health care products, has bought heart failure drug maker Corthera in order to strengthen its offerings in that area. The company will pay $120 million in cash for the acquisition, with an additional $500 million if certain milestones are hit.

San Mateo, Calif.-based Corthera’s lead drug candidate, relaxin, is still in phase three clinical trials. It is hoping to submit it for approval in the U.S. and Europe by 2013. The company was sold by its investors, Domain Associates, Caxton Advantage Life Science Fund, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Sears Capital Management. It previously raised $55 million.