FLAGSTAFF, Ariz., Sept. 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- SenesTech,
Inc. (NASDAQ: SNES), a developer of proprietary technologies for
managing animal pest populations through fertility control,
announced today regulatory approval for expanded use of
ContraPest® in agricultural settings in California, and expanded sales to agricultural
customers.
The California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) has provided
approval for ContraPest use at Lundberg Farms, one of the largest
organic rice farming operations in the state. Organic farming and
food production in the State of
California is one of the most rapid agriculture growth
markets in the country, producing 90% of the nation's organic
farming output. Lundberg Farms is one of the largest producers of
organic rice and quinoa in the United
States. They are currently preparing for a first harvest and
processing of 100 million pounds of rice and one-half million
pounds of quinoa this fall. They have selected ContraPest as a
highly effective, poison-free solution in their IPM program for
rodent control. Consumption at the initial ContraPest stations has
been dramatic and they are planning immediate expansion of use
across the facility.
"I personally visited the organic and sustainable Lundberg Farms
operation this week where they are preparing for their first
harvest this year. The facility currently has over 1,000 snap traps
and stations in this location alone and we intend to replace any
poison stations with our product," said Dr. Loretta P. Mayer, SenesTech's co-Founder and
Chief Scientific Officer. "Our data suggests that ContraPest will
help to significantly reduce grain loss as rat populations
decline."
On September 9, 2019, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved the Company's
request for a waiver of an experimental use permit at a private
poultry farm. The California Department of Pesticide Regulation
(DPR) followed with its approval on September 11, 2019. The Company has proposed a
project to investigate different deployment "feeders" to determine
the optimal strategy for deploying ContraPest in this unique
environment. The Company will also be collecting consumption data
and population data, in cooperation with the facility and its pest
management professional. The Company expects to commence these
tests immediately.
"In this project, in addition to standard bait box deployments
of ContraPest, we will test alternative deployment methods, seeking
to mimic how the rats are currently feeding from the facility's
water and feed receptacles. This broadens ContraPest's utility
under many different application scenarios. Hence, we should be
able to demonstrate deployment efficiency within six months, with
the opportunity for collecting additional efficacy and efficiency
data for an additional six months," stated Brandy Pyzyna, SenesTech's Vice President of
Scientific Operations and Technical Service.
"We have been asked to explain the potential of feather
facilities, and why we have prioritized them in our sales effort,"
said Kenneth Siegel, SenesTech's
CEO. "Feather facilities have many characteristics that will
highlight SenesTech's value in real world situations. They involve
both protein production and grain storage, deployment and
consumption – factors present across the entire global food chain.
This deployment will show how ContraPest can address a myriad of
different issues including protein and grain product loss,
contamination and disease spread through the dramatic reduction in
rodent populations."
Mr. Siegel continued, "Thus, we believe ContraPest offers a
unique value statement to feather facility operators. It also
offers a scale of opportunity for revenue, given the size of these
facilities. A single facility, such as the ones we are working in
now on Ms. Pyzyna's project, represents over $100,000 in annual revenue when fully
deployed—and the total addressable market for egg-laying facilities
may be as high as $70 million. We
should add that the customer in Ms. Pyzyna's project has already
committed to full deployment as soon as the economic benefit is
demonstrated, which could be in less than six
months."
Dr. Mayer elaborated, "For rats, the specialized and expensive
chicken feed is an ideal food source. Further, feather facilities
provide a ready supply of water, intended for the poultry but
easily accessible by rats. Our modelling indicates that a reduction
in grain loss of only 11.5% is enough to pay for the ContraPest
deployment. Our experience with ContraPest deployments is that we
can reduce the rat population by that much or more in a matter of a
few months."
About SenesTech
SenesTech is changing the paradigm of pest management by targeting
the root cause of the problem: reproduction.
ContraPest® is an innovative technology with an
approach that targets the reproductive capabilities of both sexes
in rat populations, inducing egg loss in female rats and impairing
sperm development in males. Using a proprietary bait delivery
method, ContraPest® is dispensed in a highly palatable
liquid formulation that promotes sustained consumption by rat
communities. ContraPest® is designed, formulated and
dispensed to be low hazard for handlers and non-target species such
as wildlife, livestock and pets, where the active ingredients break
down rapidly.
We believe ContraPest® will establish a new paradigm
in rodent control, resulting in a decreased reliance on lethal
options. For more information visit the SenesTech website at
www.senestech.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This release contains
"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such
forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor
provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
"Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans,
results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as
"may," "future," "plan" or "planned," "will" or "should,"
"expected," "anticipates," "draft," "eventually" or "projected."
You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude
of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances,
events, or results to differ materially from those in the
forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results
may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking
statements as a result of various factors and other risks
identified in our filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. Forward looking statements include, but are not limited
to, our expectation regarding sales commitments, our expectation
regarding the conversion of sales commitments and programs to
revenue, our belief that our product is more humane, less harmful
to the environment and more effective than traditional methods, and
our belief that ContraPest will establish a new paradigm in rodent
control without environmental effects of rodenticides. All
forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak
only as of the date on which they were made and are based on
management's assumptions and estimates as of such date. We do not
undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of the receipt of new information,
the occurrence of future events or otherwise.
CONTACT:
Investor: Robert Blum,
Joe Dorame, Joe Diaz, Lytham Partners, LLC, 602-889-9700,
senestech@lythampartners.com
Company: Tom Chesterman, Chief
Financial Officer, SenesTech, Inc., 928-779-4143
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SOURCE SenesTech, Inc.