Symyx Technologies and Institut für Microtechnik to Collaborate on High-Throughput Microreactors

Symyx Technologies Inc. (Santa Clara, CA) will collaborate with the Institut für Microtechnik Mainz GmbH (Mainz, Germany) to develop microfluidic and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) to expand and enhance Symyx's discovery platforms for new materials. The goal is to create chip-based microreactors for evaluating catalysts under conditions that mimic commercial processes.

"This collaboration unifies the efforts of an international leader in micromachining with our proprietary technologies, to advance our use of microreactors and MEMS in high speed materials discovery," stated Steven D. Goldby, Symyx chairman and CEO.

Wolfgang Ehrfeld, managing director of IMM and a physics professor at the University of Mainz, was more direct. "Microreaction technology will change the world of chemistry. The collaboration between Symyx and IMM is at the leading edge of this challenging development."

The Institute of Microtechnology Mainz (IMM) focuses on three major research areas: microtechnology, microreactors, and microfabrication, with an eye on codevelopment with industrial partners. IMM was founded by Wolfgang Ehrfeld and Ursula Ehrfeld in 1991 and has 250 employees.

Symyx develops and applies combinatorial technologies to the discovery of materials for the life sciences, chemical, and electronics industries. Symyx is the brainchild of scientist-entrepreneur Alejandro C. Zaffaroni, founder of ALZA Corporation, DNAX Research Institute, Affymax N.V. and Affymetrix.

For more information: Jeryl Hilleman, Symyx Technologies Inc., 3100 Central Expressway, Santa Clara, CA 95051. Tel: 408-764-2054. Fax: 408-748-0175.

Edited by Angelo DePalma