April 7, 2004

News Release: Senesco Shows Lung Cancer Tumor Cell Death in Mouse Studies

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2004--Senesco Technologies, Inc. ("Senesco" or the "Company") (AMEX:SNT - News) announced today that preclinical studies have shown that its proprietary gene, Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 5A1 ("Factor 5A1"), induces cell death ("apoptosis") in lung cancer tumors of mice, while healthy tissue remains unaffected.

The Company conducted these studies using mice with the same genetic defect that causes lung cancer in humans. The mice spontaneously develop lung tumors due to this defect. Factor 5A1 was injected into the blood stream of the mice and the lung tissue was subsequently analyzed for apoptosis. The data show that the lung tumor cells were specifically targeted to undergo cell death while the surrounding healthy tissue was unaffected. There was no evidence of systemic toxicity in the mice as evidenced by no weight loss, mortality or any signs of abnormal apoptosis in any of the vital organs.

Dr. John Thompson, Senesco's Executive Vice President, Research and Development, commented, "These data represent an important step in determining the efficacy of Factor 5A1 in treating cancer. The fact that we can administer the technology systemically, meaning that it travels all around the body of the mouse, and still have it only affect the tumor cells is very important. This supports our contention that Factor 5A1 functions as a cell death switch and could act as a highly specific targeted inducer of cancer cell death without damage to normal, healthy cells."

Senesco is following up on these initial findings with further preclinical studies designed to assess the ability of Factor 5A1 to not only selectively kill tumor cells, but also to extend the longevity of the diseased mice. The company is also undertaking additional studies to confirm the finding that systemically administered Factor 5A1 is non-toxic to normal healthy tissue.

Some of these data are displayed at the Company's website www.senesco.com.

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 cell life. Delaying cell breakdown in plants extends freshness after harvesting, while increasing crop yields 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 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 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.

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Contact:
Senesco Technologies, Inc.
Bruce C. Galton, 732-296-8400
or
Investor Relations Contacts:
Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates
Kim Sutton Golodetz, 212-838-3777
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or
Bruce Voss, 310-691-7100
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Source: Senesco Technologies, Inc.

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