Senomyx Gains GRAS Determination for Sweetmyx Flavor Ingredient

12 Mar 2014 --- Senomyx, Inc., a leading company using proprietary taste science technologies to discover, develop and commercialize novel flavor ingredients for the food, beverage and flavor industries, announced today that its new Sweetmyx flavor ingredient, previously referred to as S617, has been determined to be Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) under the provisions of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, administered by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The Sweetmyx ingredient is a flavor with modifying properties that is used as part of a flavor system to maintain the taste in a wide variety of foods and beverages in which a sweetener such as sugar has been reduced.

The GRAS designation allows Senomyx’s partners, PepsiCo and Firmenich, to pursue commercialization of the Sweetmyx flavor ingredient in the U.S. and a number of other countries. The GRAS status also assists with approvals in other regions of the world.

“The new Sweetmyx flavor ingredient will enable the creation of lower-calorie beverages and foods that have reduced sweeteners without sacrificing taste,” said John Poyhonen, President and Chief Executive Officer of Senomyx. “We are particularly excited about the versatility of Sweetmyx since it allows for the reduction of either sucrose or fructose in products. Senomyx is fully engaged with our partners as they evaluate potential product opportunities,” Poyhonen noted.

The GRAS status allows usage of the Sweetmyx flavor ingredient as part of a flavor system in a broad range of non-alcoholic beverages including carbonated soft drinks, sports drinks, coffee and tea products, and beverage concentrates. Sweetmyx may also be used with alcoholic beverages and a variety of foods, including baked goods, cereals, dairy products, confectioneries, snack foods, and condiments.

PepsiCo has exclusive rights to use the new flavor worldwide in all non-alcoholic beverages under a collaborative agreement established with Senomyx in August 2010. Firmenich has lifetime rights to commercialize this Sweetmyx flavor for food product categories and alcoholic beverages, with exclusive rights until March 2018.

Senomyx is using proprietary taste science technologies to discover, develop, and commercialize novel flavor ingredients. These include modifiers of Sweet and Salt flavors as well as Savory Flavors, Bitter Blockers, and Cooling Agents. The Company is also engaged in an effort to discover and develop natural high-potency sweeteners. Under its direct sales initiative, Senomyx is beginning to sell certain of its Complimyx brand flavor ingredients, Sweetmyx and Savorymyx, to flavor companies for re-sale to their food and beverage company customers. In addition, Senomyx has collaborative agreements with global food, beverage, and ingredient supply companies, some of which are currently marketing products that contain Senomyx’s flavor ingredients.