Senesco's Proprietary Factor 5A Gene Controls the Formation of TNF-Alpha and TNF-Alpha-Induced Apoptosis; Implications for Treatment of Glaucoma and Inflammation.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 11, 2003

Senesco Technologies, Inc. ("Senesco" or the "Company") (AMEX:SNT) has demonstrated that inhibition of its proprietary gene, Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factor 5A1 ("Factor 5A1"), can significantly reduce apoptosis (cell death) caused by tumor necrosis factor alpha ("TNF-alpha"). TNF-alpha is a powerful pro-inflammatory cytokine that mediates the response of the immune system to infection and trauma, and it is known to activate apoptosis as well as cause inflammation. Senesco performed tests on lamina cribrosa cells from the human optic nerve head and on an epithelial cell line from the human intestine using a newly synthesized highly specific inhibitor of Factor 5A1 function.

By inhibiting Factor 5A1, Senesco blocked TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis by 80 percent in lamina cribrosa cells of the human optic nerve head. TNF-alpha is strongly upregulated in the optic nerve head of the glaucomatous eye, and TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis appears to be an important determinant of the progressive neurodegeneration characteristic of glaucoma. Thus, inhibition of TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis may reduce damage to the optic nerve during glaucoma.

Crohn's disease can lead to apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells and destruction of the lining of the bowel through production of cytokines such as TNF-alpha. The Company has found that inhibition of Factor 5A1 in a human intestinal epithelial cell line not only protects these cells from cytokine-induced apoptosis, but also decreases production of TNF-alpha protein by 90 percent. This dual effect of the Company's inhibitor of Factor 5A1 indicates that it could have therapeutic potential for patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disorders such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

John E. Thompson, Ph.D., Senesco's Executive Vice President of Research commented, "Senesco's finding that our proprietary gene Factor 5A1 mediates TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis of lamina cribrosa cells has established that Factor 5A1 may be an important new target for the development of therapeutics for controlling glaucoma. We are particularly pleased that our inhibitor of Factor 5A1 proved to be such a potent suppressor of TNF-alpha-induced death of lamina cribrosa cells, for it indicates that this inhibitor, and others like it, may have potential to be used as a drug for controlling glaucoma."

"TNF-alpha has been implicated in diseases attributable to premature apoptosis including rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease," stated Bruce Galton, Senesco's President and CEO. "Our finding that the apoptotic actions of TNF-alpha can be blocked by inhibitors of Factor 5A1 has important implications for the control of disease states attributable to up-regulation of TNF-alpha. The dual action of Senesco's inhibitor of Factor 5A1, that of blocking the formation of TNF-alpha, as well as its ability to induce cell death, is a novel feature in comparison with current drugs that target TNF-alpha. We believe that this inhibitor could have potential for development of a therapeutic for controlling disease states arising from uncontrolled production of TNF-alpha."

About Senesco Technologies, Inc.

Senesco takes its name from the scientific term for the aging of plant cells: senescence. The Company has developed technology that regulates the onset of cell death. Delaying cell breakdown in plants extends freshness after harvesting, while increasing crop yields, plant size and resistance to environmental stress for flowers, fruits and vegetables. The Company believes that its technology can be used to develop superior strains of crops without any modification other than delaying natural plant senescence. Senesco has begun to explore ways to trigger or delay cell death in mammals (apoptosis) to determine if the technology is applicable in human medicine. Accelerating apoptosis may have applications to development of cancer treatments. Delaying apoptosis may have applications to certain diseases such as Alzheimer's, glaucoma, ischemia and arthritis, among others. Senesco partners with leading-edge companies and earns research and development fees for applying its gene-regulating platform technology to enhance its partners' products. Senesco is headquartered in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and utilizes research laboratories at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada and the University of Colorado in Denver, Colorado.

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 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 joint ventures; the success of the Company's license agreements; the successful conversion of the Company's letter of intent into a license agreement; the acceptance by the market of the Company's products; competition and the timing of projects and trends in future operating performance, 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.

NOTE TO EDITORS: The alpha symbol has been replaced with the word "alpha" in the term "TNF-alpha" because the alpha symbol may not appear properly in some systems.