US Patent No. 6,955,887, entitled "Use of T1R Hetero-Oligomeric Taste Receptor to Screen for Compounds that Modulate Taste Signaling," gives the firm broad-based claims that cover novel techniques for using the human sweet taste receptor as the basis for assay systems.
These, claim the company, are more efficient than traditional flavor discovery procedures.
Competition in the $10.4 billion global flavor and fragrance sector is rapidly increasing. In the US, demand for sweeteners grew to over $1 billion in 2004 on the back of growing concern over sugar consumption.
On top of this, on a sugar-sweetness-equivalent basis, many high intensity sweeteners are in fact less expensive than sugar.
Any patent-protected development in this sector could therefore potentially be highly lucrative.
"This patent is an important addition to Senomyx's intellectual property portfolio," said Kent Snyder, president and chief executive officer of Senomyx.
"The new patent covers the rapid receptor-based screening methods that allow us to screen and identify an unprecedented number of potential new sweet flavor ingredients.
"These flavor ingredients may have applications in multiple product categories such as confectionaries, cereal, ice cream, beverages, yogurt, desserts, spreads, and bakery products, each of whichrepresents a sizeable commercial market opportunity."
The screening technology covered by the patent capitalizes on Senomyx's work in understanding the structure and function of the human sweet taste receptor. The issued claims cover co-expression of the two sweet receptor subunits, hT1R2 and hT1R3, and their use in cell-based assays to identify ingredients that modulate sweet taste.
"Senomyx is active in seeking patent protection for its discoveries, and the company is now the owner or exclusive licensee of 68 issued patents and 206 pending patent applications in the US, Europe, and elsewhere," said Mark Zoller, Senomyx's chief scientific officer and senior vice president of research.
Senomyx, which reported an 18 percent increase in quarter earnings yesterday, has already entered into product discovery and development collaborations with some the world's leading packaged food and beverage companies. This latest patent should further consolidate the firm's position as a leading player in flavor research and development.
"Senomyx has made significant achievements during the past quarter," said Kent Snyder, President and Chief Executive Officer of the company.
"Our July 2005 agreement with Cadbury Schweppes, a global leader in the gum confectionary market, creates a new large commercial opportunity for Senomyx," said Snyder.
The company also announced a two-year extension of its collaboration with Kraft Foods, earlier this year. "The Kraft agreement was expanded to include the discovery and development of novel flavor ingredients in the dessert product category in addition to our work in an existing specified food and beverage product field," said Snyder. "These agreements further our goal of leveraging our discovery and development capabilities by establishing collaborations with market leading companies seeking to create a competitive advantage for their products."