Senomyx Wins a "Most Innovative New Product" Award From CONNECT

18/12/07 Senomyx, Inc., a leading company focused on using proprietary taste receptor technologies to discover and develop novel flavor ingredients for the packaged food and beverage industry, announced today that the Company received a "Most Innovative New Product" award from CONNECT, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating and sustaining the growth of innovative technology and life science businesses in San Diego. Senomyx was recognized in the General Technology category for the Company's Savory Flavor Ingredients, which are intended to enhance savory flavor and to reduce or replace monosodium glutamate (MSG) in foods and beverages. Nestlé, the world's largest food company, started marketing foods that contain the Senomyx Savory Flavor Ingredients in June 2007.

"We are honored to receive this prestigious award in recognition of Senomyx's innovation and scientific expertise," said Kent Snyder, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. "We are proud of our scientists' accomplishments, which have led to new ingredients that are now incorporated into six products being marketed by Nestlé in four countries."

"The Senomyx Savory Flavor Ingredients were discovered and developed in-house using techniques that are now being applied to our sweet, salt, and bitter Discovery & Development programs," added Mark J. Zoller, Ph.D., Executive Vice President of Discovery and Development and Chief Scientific Officer at Senomyx. "Senomyx scientists identified the human umami (savory) taste receptor on the tongue. The umami receptor was then used as the basis of a new, proprietary high-throughput screening assay that was utilized to discover and optimize novel savory ingredients."

Umami taste is receiving attention recently, and was featured in an article entitled, "A New Taste Sensation" in the December 8, 2007 issue of The Wall Street Journal. Four Senomyx Savory Flavor Ingredients have been designated Generally Regarded As Safe (GRAS) in the US and received a positive assessment by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). The JECFA determination facilitates the acceptance or approval of flavors for use in food in many countries throughout the world.

CONNECT's 2007 MIP Awards continue the organization's tradition of showcasing local companies with cutting-edge high technology. Since 1988, the CONNECT MIP Awards have served as a benchmark for predicting San Diego's most successful emerging technologies. The MIP Award finalists were selected from approximately 100 entries representing a broad range of companies within seven categories. "This year's products showcase the entrepreneurial spirit that established the San Diego region as a leader in innovation," said Duane Roth, chief executive officer of CONNECT. "The winners represent the pinnacle of our innovative success."