BRIDGEWATER, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Senesco Technologies, Inc. (“Senesco” or the “Company”) (NYSE AMEX: SNT) announced today that it has re-structured its research and development agreement with Rahan Meristem (1998) Ltd (“Rahan”) to reflect the priorities of both Companies.
“I am very pleased with the scientific progress we have made in the collaboration and the results that have been obtained in field trials for shelf life of banana fruit and disease resistance to a fungal disease that is ravaging banana plants world-wide,” said John E. Thompson, Ph.D., Founder and Chief Scientific Officer. “We look forward to seeing our joint efforts continue to fruition.”
The new agreement is an amendment to the original research and development agreement, dated May 1999, that provided Rahan access to Senesco’s proprietary technology enabling the two Companies to engage in a jointly-funded research and development program relating to the development and production of banana plants with improved traits. The new agreement re-structures the collaboration from a cost and profit sharing arrangement to a license agreement, which provides Senesco with a mid- to upper-single digit royalty on incremental revenue as defined in the agreement, from the sale of Rahan’s banana seedling products containing Senesco’s technology without any future payments by Senesco for the costs of development and commercialization. If a product, which incorporates Senesco technology, is commercialized by Rahan, the royalties will be payable from first commercial sale for the longer of ten (10) years or the expiration of the last valid patent on a country-by-country basis.
“Our collaboration with Rahan, which is our longest, has resulted in excellent progress towards its goals and reflects the importance of agricultural applications of eIF5A,” said Leslie J. Browne, Ph.D., President and CEO of Senesco. “Moving forward we needed to re-structure our agreement in order to optimize the return on investment for our shareholders. The new agreement allows Senesco to benefit from applications of our technology in the Rahan field without losing our current focus on the human therapeutic applications of eIF5A.”
About Senesco Technologies, Inc.
Senesco, a leader in eIF5A technology, is running a clinical study in multiple myeloma with its lead therapeutic candidate SNS01-T, which targets B-cell cancers by selectively inducing apoptosis by modulating eukaryotic, translation, initiation Factor 5A (eIF5A), which is believed to be an important regulator of cell growth and cell death. Accelerating apoptosis may have applications in treating cancer, while delaying apoptosis may have applications in treating certain inflammatory and ischemic diseases. Senesco has already partnered with leading-edge companies engaged in agricultural biotechnology and is entitled to earn research and development milestones and royalties if its gene-regulating platform technology is incorporated into its partners’ products.
About Multiple Myeloma
Multiple myeloma is an incurable cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell derived from B-lymphocytes, normally responsible for the production of antibodies. Senesco was previously granted orphan drug status for SNS01-T, the Company’s lead drug candidate for treatment of multiple myeloma.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements included in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results could differ materially from such statements expressed or implied herein as a result of a variety of factors, including, but not limited to: the ability of the Company to consummate additional financings; the development of the Company’s gene technology; the approval of the Company’s patent applications; the successful implementation of the Company’s research and development programs and collaborations; the success of the Company's license agreements; the acceptance by the market of the Company’s products; the timing and success of the Company’s preliminary studies, preclinical research and clinical trials; competition and the timing of projects and trends in future operating performance, the Company’s ability to comply with the continued listing standards of the NYSE Amex, as well as other factors expressed from time to time in the Company’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). As a result, this press release should be read in conjunction with the Company’s periodic filings with the SEC. The forward-looking statements contained herein are made only as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.