News

SENOMYX GRANTED EXCLUSIVE LICENSE TO TRPM5 PATENT RIGHTS COVERING MODULATION OF SWEET, BITTER, AND SAVORY TASTES

SAN DIEGO, CA - March 28, 2007 - Senomyx, Inc. (NASDAQ: SNMX), a leading company focused on using proprietary technologies to discover and develop novel flavor ingredients for the food and beverage industry, announced today that it has entered into an exclusive, worldwide license agreement with The Queens Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, covering patent rights relating to the use of the TRPM5 ion channel to modulate sweet, bitter, and savory tastes. The agreement covers intellectual property regarding methods of screening for TRPM5 taste modulators, and allows Senomyx to develop and commercialize flavor ingredients discovered using proprietary assay systems.

"TRPM5 is an ion channel that mediates the signal from the primary receptors for sweet, bitter, and savory tastes," said Mark J. Zoller, Ph.D., Executive Vice President of Discovery and Development and Chief Scientific Officer at Senomyx. "This agreement complements Senomyx's intellectual property regarding the G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that have been demonstrated to be the primary receptors associated with the perception of certain tastes. Screening assays based on TRPM5 could also lead to the discovery of new flavor ingredients that enhance sweet and savory tastes, and block bitterness. "

"Senomyx has successfully used our GPCR-based proprietary screening assays to discover novel flavor ingredients that enhance the savory taste of foods and beverages," noted Kent Snyder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Senomyx. "We are also using our screening technologies for the discovery and development of sweet enhancers, salt enhancers, bitter blockers, and high potency sweeteners. Our acquisition of the TPRM5 patent rights extends our discovery capabilities, expands our intellectual property position, and strengthens our leadership in the science of human taste."

About Senomyx, Inc. (www.senomyx.com) Senomyx is a leading company focused on using proprietary taste receptor-based assays, screening technologies and optimization chemistry to discover and develop novel flavors, flavor enhancers and taste modulators for the food and beverage industry. Senomyx's current programs focus on the development of flavor ingredients in the savory, sweet, salt and bitter 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 Statements Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the capabilities of Senomyx's flavor ingredients; Senomyx's ability to discover new flavor ingredients; and Senomyx's ability, or Senomyx's collaborators' ability, to commercialize products incorporating Senomyx's flavor ingredients in packaged foods and beverages. Risks that contribute to the uncertain nature of the forward-looking statements include: Senomyx is dependent on its product discovery and development collaborators for all of Senomyx's revenue; Senomyx is dependent on its current and any future product discovery and development collaborators to develop and commercialize any flavor ingredients Senomyx may discover; Senomyx may be unable to develop flavor ingredients useful for formulation into products; Senomyx or its collaborators may be unable to obtain and maintain the regulatory approval required for flavor ingredients to be incorporated into products that are sold; even if Senomyx or its collaborators receive a regulatory approval and incorporate Senomyx flavor ingredients into products, those products may never be commercially successful; and Senomyx's ability to compete in the flavor ingredients market may decline if Senomyx does not adequately protect its proprietary technologies. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in Senomyx's most recently filed SEC documents, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, under the headings "Risks Related to Our Business" and "Risks Related to Our Industry." All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Senomyx undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

Contacts

Investor Relations:

Gwen Rosenberg

Vice President, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications

Senomyx, Inc.

858-646-8369

gwen.rosenberg@senomyx.com