Congratulations to Trickle to reaching 1000 posts (& I suppose to tom for snagging it <g>).
Don't know if SMMX quite qualifies as Trickle, but thought this was interesting -
Symyx Technologies Announces Discovery Tools Agreement with Lilly
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 7, 2002--Symyx Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:SMMX - news) announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY - news) which is aimed at enhancing the rapid discovery, identification and characterization of novel polymorphic forms of Lilly's drug candidates. Under the agreement, Lilly will purchase a Symyx® polymorph Discovery Tools® system and two Symyx solubility workflow systems, all of which Symyx intends to ship to Lilly during 2002. The polymorph system is a high throughput system in development that is designed to rapidly identify optimal crystalline salt and polymorphic form of drug candidates. The solubility workflow system is an integrated software and instrumentation system that is expected to enable high throughput automated testing of drug candidates for formulation and preformulation assessment.
Selection of the correct form of the drug for clinical trials is an important part of drug development. Molecules often crystallize in more than one polymorphic form depending on the specific crystallization and purification conditions used. Each polymorph has a unique set of physiochemical properties such as melting point, solubility, stability, and bioavailability. Early selection of the crystalline polymorph with the best overall properties is critically important to pharmaceutical companies to avoid identifying a new, previously unidentified polymorph of a drug candidate later in the drug development process.
This is the second agreement Symyx has completed in the field of pharmaceutical preformulation and formulation. The first was an agreement with Merck & Co., announced in June 2001. Under that agreement, Merck is providing funding for the development of Symyx' Discovery Tools polymorph system and will purchase the first commercial system upon completion and validation. Symyx intends to ship the Merck system in late 2002.
``We are very pleased to be working with Lilly, as we continue to demonstrate the value of our high throughput technologies in the drug development process,'' stated Steve Goldby, chairman and chief executive officer of Symyx Technologies.
Symyx develops and applies high-speed combinatorial technologies to the discovery of materials for life science, chemical and electronics applications. Symyx provides research services to its partners through its Industry Collaborations business, seeks to license discovered materials through its Proprietary Materials programs, and offers selective access to its proprietary technologies, including instruments, software and intellectual property, through its Discovery Tools business. Approximately 25 leading life sciences, chemical and electronic companies are among Symyx' increasing base of worldwide partners and customers. Information about Symyx, including reports and other information filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, is available on the worldwide web at www.symyx.com or by phoning 408/773-4095. ``Symyx'', the logo, ``Discovery Tools,'' and ``Library Studio'' are registered trademarks and servicemarks of Symyx Technologies, Inc. Other trademarks of Symyx Technologies, Inc. include ``Endeavor'' and ``Celero''... |
