Tau Therapeutics to Address World Drug Repositioning Congress

Krouse will speak on repositioning drugs for the treatment of cancer

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tau Therapeutics LLC, a company repositioning and developing T-type calcium channel inhibitors for the treatment of solid tumors, announced today that President and CEO Andrew J. Krouse will speak at the World Drug Repositioning Congress in London, England, September 11-13, 2012. Tau Therapeutics is repositioning former hypertension drug, mibefradil dihydrochloride, in its Interlaced Therapy™ method to treat solid tumor cancers.

“I am excited to share our story of taking a discarded drug into the most deadly cancers in hopes of making a difference in the lives of patients”

“I am excited to share our story of taking a discarded drug into the most deadly cancers in hopes of making a difference in the lives of patients,” said Krouse. Tau Therapeutics, in collaboration with the NCI’s Adult Brain Tumor Consortium, is conducting a Phase 1b clinical trial (www.ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01480050) of mibefradil using Interlaced Therapy™ in patients with brain cancer.

Krouse notes that repositioning a drug from one disease to another is an emerging, innovative strategy for both Big Pharma and small start-up companies. As Big Pharma faces significant patent cliffs and reductions in discovery and pre-clinical staffing, it needs to find novel compounds to move forward. According to a 2011 Arrowsmith Publishers report, Big Pharma and Biotech focus over 50% of research and development efforts on drug repositioning. Small specialty companies like Tau can take economic advantage of repositioning by offering a focused, purpose-driven means to in-licensing. Like Tau, many have expertise in a particular mechanism of action with special insight into how best to reposition drugs.

About Tau Therapeutics

Tau Therapeutics, a privately held company based in Charlottesville, VA, is a clinical stage company developing oncology drugs for solid tumors that selectively inhibit the T-type calcium channel – a novel mechanism of action for cancer. The company’s approach, called Interlaced Therapy™, capitalizes on the central role of calcium influx through T-type calcium channels during cancer cell growth. T-type calcium channel blockade with Tau’s drugs is intended to arrest tumor cells at their most vulnerable metabolic point, uniquely amplifying the effects of conventional therapies and overcoming drug resistance.

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, and includes statements that are not historical facts. Actual results could differ significantly from results discussed. Tau Therapeutics LLC disclaims any intent or obligation to update forward-looking statements, except as required by law.