News

SENOMYX ANNOUNCES ISSUANCE OF U.S. PATENT COVERING HUMAN BITTER TASTE RECEPTORS

Senomyx’s Patented Receptors May Be Used in Assay Systems to Discover
 New Flavor Ingredients that Block Certain Bitter Tastes

LA JOLLA, CA - September 26, 2006 - Senomyx, Inc. (NASDAQ: SNMX), a leading company focused on using proprietary technologies to discover and develop novel flavor ingredients for the packaged food and beverage industry, announced today the issuance by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office of U.S. Patent No. 7,105,650, "T2R Taste Receptors and Genes Encoding Same." This patent covers human bitter taste receptors that have been shown to be activated by the commonly used high-potency sweeteners saccharin and acesulfame potassium, which many individuals associate with a bitter taste. The receptors claimed in the patent may be used in Senomyx's proprietary assay systems to screen for new flavor ingredients that block the bitter taste imparted by these sweeteners.

"The primary goal of Senomyx's bitter taste modulation program is to reduce or block bitter taste and to improve the overall taste characteristics of packaged foods and beverages," said Kent Snyder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Senomyx. "The bitter taste modulators resulting from this program may also have applications for pharmaceutical and over the counter (OTC) health care products."

"Humans have a family of bitter taste receptors, called T2Rs, which are activated by bitter-tasting food ingredients and certain pharmaceuticals," explained Mark Zoller, Ph.D., Senomyx's Chief Scientific Officer and Executive Vice President of Discovery and Development. "The issued claims of the new patent cover the sequence of the human receptor hT2R61 and certain related receptors, as well as cells containing the receptors. Senomyx has pending patent applications covering other bitter taste receptors and their use in identifying bitter taste blockers," Zoller noted.

"The new patent strengthens Senomyx's position as a leader in the use of proprietary human taste receptor-based assays to discover novel flavor ingredients," Snyder added. "These assay systems are more rapid, efficient, and sensitive than traditional flavor discovery methods. In addition to our bitter taste modulation program, Senomyx is currently focusing on the discovery and development of flavors and flavor enhancers in the savory, sweet, and salt areas. Currently, Senomyx is the owner or exclusive licensee of 76 issued patents and 299 pending patent applications in the U.S., Europe, and elsewhere.

"Senomyx has entered into product discovery and development collaborations with six of the world's leading packaged food and beverage companies: Ajinomoto, Cadbury Schweppes, Campbell Soup Company, The Coca-Cola Company, Kraft Foods, and Nestlé. We intend to continue to leverage our discovery and development capabilities by establishing new collaborations with market leading companies that are looking to enhance the nutritional profile or taste characteristics of their products by reducing the levels of carbohydrate sweeteners, salt, or monosodium glutamate (MSG), or to modulate bitter tastes," Snyder stated.

About Senomyx, Inc. (www.senomyx.com) Senomyx uses proprietary taste receptor-based assays, screening technologies and optimization chemistry to discover and develop novel flavors, flavor enhancers and taste modulators for the packaged food and beverage industry. Senomyx's current programs focus on the development of flavors, flavor enhancers and taste modulators in the savory, sweet, salt and bitter taste areas. Senomyx has entered into product discovery and development collaborations with six of the world's leading packaged food and beverage companies: Ajinomoto Co., Inc., Cadbury Schweppes, Campbell Soup Company, The Coca-Cola Company, Kraft Foods Global, Inc. and Nestlé SA.

Forward-Looking Statement Statements included in this press release that are not a description of fact are forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, our ability to identify potential flavor ingredients, the product categories our products will address, the size of the commercial opportunity for our products, and plans for additional collaborations. The inclusion of forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by us that any of our plans, projections or future financial, scientific or business objectives will be achieved. Our 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 our business including, without limitation, difficulties or delays in developing, testing, obtaining regulatory approval, producing and marketing our flavors, flavor enhancers, taste modulators and related technologies; whether we will be able to enter into additional collaborations; our ability to collect royalties under our 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 any of our collaborations will result in the discovery and development of novel flavors, flavor enhancers or taste modulators, enhance the nutritional profile of products incorporating them or otherwise enhance our market position; our ability to protect our intellectual property and proprietary technology and to maintain and enforce our patents and 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 companies and flavor manufacturers and other risks detailed in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2006. 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 we undertake no obligation to revise or update this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.

Contacts

Investor Relations:

Gwen Rosenberg

Executive Director, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications

Senomyx, Inc.

858-646-8369

gwen.rosenberg@senomyx.com