Hepatitis C;Tacere Therapeutics Reacquires Rights to Develop and Commercialize its HCV Compounds in Asia

Tacere Therapeutics Reacquires Rights to Develop and Commercialize its Hepatitis C Compounds in Asia


SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Tacere Therapeutics, Inc., an RNA interference (RNAi)-based therapeutics company, announced today that it has reacquired the development and commercialization rights to its Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) compounds throughout Asia from its strategic partner, Tokyo-based Oncolys BioPharma Inc.

"We are very happy to have regained control of the Asian development and commercialization rights to our family of HCV compounds," said Sara Hall Renison, Chief Executive Officer of Tacere. Mike Catelani, Chairman, President and CFO, added, "With the continued promising development of our lead HCV compound in partnership with Pfizer, holder of the non-Asian worldwide development and commercialization rights, we believe that we are well-positioned to commence regulatory activities in Asia."

About Tacere's family of HCV compounds

Tacere's family of HCV compounds, are novel therapeutic products containing three separate RNAi elements targeted against the Hepatitis C virus itself and encapsidated in an adeno-associated virus (AAV) protein coat. AAV delivery methods have demonstrated clinical safety, and preclinical animal studies with TT-034, the lead compound in the family, have shown the ability to penetrate hepatocytes (the site of HCV replication) at high levels following a single intravenous administration. In preclinical animal studies, this "cocktail in one drug" monotherapy targeted and cleaved the Hepatitis C virus itself at three different sites simultaneously without toxicity.

About Tacere Therapeutics, Inc.

Tacere is an innovative biotechnology company focused on developing therapeutics to treat human diseases using its proprietary knowledge in the development of RNAi therapeutics. Tacere is located in San Jose, California, USA. For additional information, please visit www.tacerebio.com.

CONTACTS:



TACERE THERAPEUTICS, INC.

Mike Catelani

Chairman, President & CFO

+1 408 839-1818