Senomyx, Firmenich Extend Sweet-Taste Technology Agreement

Senomyx, Inc. (San Diego) announced that Firmenich has exercised its option to expand the companies' collaboration related to Senomyx's sweet-taste technology to include the discovery, development and worldwide commercialization of natural flavor ingredients intended to enhance the taste of sucrose, fructose and Rebaudioside (stevia). This expansion will benefit Senomyx's collaboration with PepsiCo, Inc., which is focused on natural and artificial enhancers of sucrose and fructose for use in non-alcoholic beverages.

Senomyx and Firmenich initiated this collaboration agreement in July 2009. Under the agreement, Senomyx is using its proprietary technologies to discover and develop flavors that may be used by Firmenich on an exclusive basis worldwide as artificial sweet enhancers in all food product categories, and on a co-exclusive basis in powdered beverages. In consideration of the expansion of the agreement, Firmenich will pay Senomyx for additional research funding as well as milestones, minimum annual royalties and royalties on sales of natural sweet enhancers developed under the collaboration. Firmenich is currently committed to fund ongoing research under the agreement through July 2011 and has annual options that could further extend the collaborative research funding period through July 2014.

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