UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): March 15, 2006
Senesco Technologies, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
Delaware |
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001-31326 |
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84-1368850 |
(State or Other Jurisdiction |
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(Commission File Number) |
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(IRS Employer Identification No.) |
of Incorporation) |
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303 George Street, Suite 420, New Brunswick, New Jersey |
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08901 |
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(Address of Principal Executive Offices) |
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(Zip Code) |
(732) 296-8400
(Registrants telephone number,
including area code)
Not applicable
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425).
o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12).
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)).
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)).
Item 7.01. Regulation FD Disclosure.
On March 15, 2006, Senesco Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), issued a press release to report the results of plants grown in soil with low nutrient levels and in the absence of commercial fertilizer. The Company announced today that the Companys proprietary Factor 5A gene technology has a positive effect on plants grown in soil with low nutrient levels and in the absence of commercial fertilizer. The Companys plants exhibited nearly three times the seed yield of unenhanced control plants under these conditions.
The Company tested its technology in Arabidopsis plants, a commonly used test plant which is closely related to the oilseed-bearing canola plant. Both the Companys plants and the control plants were grown in low-nutrient soil with no added commercial fertilizer. The Companys plants grew faster and, at maturity, were substantially larger than the control plants that did not contain the Companys enhancement technology. In keeping with this more vigorous and rapid growth, the average seed yield for the Companys plants was approximately 160 mg per plant in comparison to only approximately 55 mg per plant for the control plants. This equates to an increase in seed yield of approximately 190%. Equally interesting is the finding that the Companys plants grown in low-nutrient soil in the absence of commercial fertilizer produced more seed (approximately 16%) than control plants grown in the presence of optimum fertilizer.
The full text of the press release is attached to this current report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 99.1.
The information in this Form 8-K shall be deemed filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), and this Form 8-K shall be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act) and the Exchange Act.
The information in the press release shall not be deemed filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(c) Exhibits.
Exhibit No. |
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Description |
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99.1 |
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Press Release of Senesco Technologies, Inc. dated |
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.
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SENESCO TECHNOLOGIES, INC. |
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Dated: March 15, 2006 |
By: |
/s/ Bruce Galton |
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Name: |
Bruce Galton |
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Title: |
President and Chief Executive Officer |
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Exhibit 99.1
Company Contact: |
Investor Relations Contacts: |
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Senesco Technologies, Inc. |
Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates |
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Bruce Galton |
Kim Sutton Golodetz |
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Chief Executive Officer |
(kgolodetz@lhai.com) |
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(bgalton@senesco.com) |
Anne Marie Fields |
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(732) 296-8400 |
(afields@lhai.com) |
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212-838-3777 |
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REDUCED NEED FOR FERTILIZER IN SENESCOS PLANTS;
ENHANCED
GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS ALSO SHOWN
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (March 15, 2006) Senesco Technologies, Inc. (Senesco or the Company) (AMEX: SNT) announced today that the Companys proprietary Factor 5A gene technology has a positive effect on plants grown in soil with low nutrient levels and in the absence of commercial fertilizer. The Senesco plants exhibited nearly three times the seed yield of unenhanced control plants under these conditions.
The Company tested its technology in Arabidopsis plants, a commonly used test plant which is closely related to the oilseed-bearing canola plant. Both Senescos plants and the control plants were grown in low-nutrient soil with no added commercial fertilizer. The Senesco plants grew faster and, at maturity, were substantially larger than the control plants that did not contain Senescos enhancement technology. In keeping with this more vigorous and rapid growth, the average seed yield for Senesco plants was approximately 160 mg per plant in comparison to only approximately 55 mg per plant for the control plants. This equates to an increase in seed yield of approximately 190%. Equally interesting is the finding that the Senesco plants grown in low-nutrient soil in the absence of commercial fertilizer produced more seed (approximately 16%) than control plants grown in the presence of optimum fertilizer.
Dr. John Thompson, Senescos Executive Vice President of Research and Development, commented, These results could be of great significance for a variety of agronomic crops. Fertilizer is a sizeable input cost for crops such as corn, soy and canola. If plants can be grown in low nutrient soil there could be significant economic and environmental benefits with no sacrifice to yield.
Based on these results, the Company is planning to repeat these experiments in agronomic crops.
About Senesco Technologies, Inc.
Senesco has initiated preclinical research 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 glaucoma, ischemia and arthritis, among others. 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. In addition to its human health research programs, 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 partnered with leading-edge companies engaged in agricultural biotechnology 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.
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 Companys gene technology; the approval of the Companys patent applications; the successful implementation of the Companys research and development programs and joint ventures; the success of the Companys license agreements; the acceptance by the market of the Companys products; success of the Companys preliminary studies and preclinical research; competition and the timing of projects and trends in future operating performance, as well as other factors expressed from time to time in the Companys periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC). As a result, this press release should be read in conjunction with the Companys 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.