News
Senomyx Announces Discovery of Multiple Binding Sites for Sweeteners and Sweet Taste Inhibitors
Results Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
LA JOLLA, CA, September 8, 2004 - Senomyx, Inc. (NASDAQ: SNMX) announced today that the Company's scientists have discovered that the human sweet taste receptor contains multiple binding sites for sweeteners and sweet taste inhibitors. A binding site for such sweet taste modulators was also identified in the related umami receptor, which mediates the savory taste of monosodium glutamate, or MSG. The Company also announced that these results have been published in a manuscript authored by Senomyx employees Xu et al. and appeared online in the September 7 Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The manuscript by Xu et al. can be viewed at http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/0404384101v1.
These discoveries, made by Senomyx Senior Scientists Xiaodong Li, Ph.D., Hong Xu, Ph.D. and coworkers, identify multiple binding sites on the human sweet taste receptor, a protein complex composed of T1R2 and T1R3 G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Using cells engineered to express receptor chimeras, Dr. Li's team showed that sweeteners such as aspartame interact with the extracellular domain of T1R2. In contrast, sweeteners such as cyclamate and the sweet taste inhibitor lactisole interact with the transmembrane domain of T1R3. Additional studies described in the publication demonstrated that cyclamate and lactisole also interact with T1R3 of the umami, or savory, receptor, which is composed of T1R1 and T1R3.
"The work by Dr. Li and colleagues is being applied in our sweet enhancer and savory enhancer discovery and development programs," commented Mark Zoller, Ph.D., Senomyx's Chief Scientific Officer and Senior Vice President of Research. "A more detailed understanding of the biochemistry and structural features of the sweet and savory taste receptors provides important insights into the discovery and optimization of our enhancers," Zoller added.
"This discovery will enable us to further enhance our position as a leading company focused on using proprietary taste receptor-based assays to discover novel flavor enhancers and taste modulators for use in the packaged food and beverage industry," stated Kent Snyder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Senomyx. Senomyx has entered into product discovery and development collaborations with four of the world's leading packaged food and beverage companies: Campbell Soup Company, The Coca-Cola Company, Kraft Foods Global, Inc. and Nestlé SA. "Our goal is to leverage our discovery and development capabilities by establishing additional collaborations with market leading companies which are looking to improve the nutritional profile of their products by reducing the levels of carbohydrate sweeteners, salt, or MSG," added Snyder.
About Senomyx
Senomyx is a leading biotechnology company using proprietary taste receptor-based assays and screening technologies to discover and develop novel flavor enhancers and taste modulators for the packaged food and beverage industry. Senomyx has entered into product discovery and development collaborations with four of the world's leading packaged food and beverage companies: Campbell Soup Company, The Coca-Cola Company, Kraft Foods Global, Inc. and Nestlé SA. Senomyx's current programs focus on the discovery and development of flavor enhancers and taste modulators in taste areas including savory, sweet and salt.
Forward-looking Statements
Statements included in this press release that are not a description of fact are forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements regarding plans for the Company's taste receptor research, future products or additional collaborations. The inclusion of forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by Senomyx that any of its plans, projections or future financial, scientific or business objectives will be achieved. The Company's actual results may differ materially from any projected future results set forth in this release as a result of the risks and uncertainties inherent in Senomyx's business including, without limitation, difficulties or delays in developing, testing, obtaining regulatory approval, producing and marketing our flavor enhancers, taste modulators and related technologies; whether we will be able to enter into additional collaborations; the progress and timing of our scientific programs; changes in the laws or regulations of the United States and other countries that could adversely affect our and our collaborators' ability to develop and commercialize our products; whether developments identified in this release will be applied in Senomyx discovery and development programs or aid in the discovery and development of novel flavor enhancers or taste modulators, improve the nutritional profile of products incorporating them or otherwise enhance the Company's market position; our ability to protect our intellectual property and proprietary technology and to maintain and enforce our licensing arrangements with various third party licensors; our ability to define the scope and validity of patent protection for our products and technologies; competition from other biotechnology companies and flavor manufacturers and other risks detailed in Senomyx's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including the prospectus filed in connection with our IPO and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2004. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement and Senomyx undertakes no obligation to revise or update this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.
Contacts:
| Scientific | Investor Relations | |
| Mark Zoller, Ph.D | Susan Neath | |
| Sr. Vice President of Research & Chief Scientific Officer | Atkins + Associates | |
| Senomyx, Inc. | 858-527-3486 | |
| 858-646-8302 | sneath@irpr.com | |
mark.zoller@senomyx.com |