Symyx Technologies
Encyclopedia
Symyx Technologies is a pioneer in the area of combinatorial chemistry
applied to heterogeneous catalysis
and homogeneous catalysis
, polymer
formulations, electronic and magnetic materials.
Symyx offers high-speed combinatorial technologies for the discovery of new materials. Using proprietary technologies - including instruments, software and methods - enabled Symyx to generate hundreds to thousands of unique materials at a time and screen those materials rapidly and automatically for desired properties. This approach can deliver results hundreds to thousands of times faster than traditional research methods, at a fraction of the cost.
Symyx is applying this technology to revolutionize materials discovery in the life sciences, chemical, and electronics industries. Founded in 1994 by Dr. Alejandro Zaffaroni
and Dr. Peter G. Schultz, Symyx' conceptual basis draws from Affymax, Inc. and Affymetrix
, Inc., which commercialized the use of high-speed combinatorial methods for pharmaceutical and genetic
research, respectively. Symyx screens about a million materials a year and has produced a product pipeline with several materials that have the potential to be commercialized in the next few years. Examples of their discovery efforts include X-ray storage phosphors for radiography, polymers to speed DNA research and catalysts for the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, chemicals and plastics.
In 2007 Symyx Technologies acquired MDL Information Systems
, a provider of R&D informatics in the life sciences and chemicals industries, which was launched as a computer-aided drug design firm (originally named Molecular Design Limited, Inc.) in January 1978 in Hayward, CA. With this purchase came purveyorship of the Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTEC), a database of the toxic health effects of more than 100,000 chemicals commonly used in US industry. In 2008, Symyx sold the OHS business of MDL to ChemADVISOR
, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Recent innovations include an enterprise electronic laboratory notebook
(ELN) capable of supporting multiple scientific disciplines.
In 2010 Symyx merged with Accelrys
, with the combined company being known as Accelrys.
Combinatorial chemistry
Combinatorial chemistry involves the rapid synthesis or the computer simulation of a large number of different but structurally related molecules or materials...
applied to heterogeneous catalysis
Heterogeneous catalysis
In chemistry, heterogeneous catalysis refers to the form of catalysis where the phase of the catalyst differs from that of the reactants. Phase here refers not only to solid, liquid, vs gas, but also immiscible liquids, e.g. oil and water. The great majority of practical heterogeneous catalysts...
and homogeneous catalysis
Homogeneous catalysis
In chemistry, homogeneous catalysis is a sequence of reactions that involve a catalyst in the same phase as the reactants. Most commonly, a homogeneous catalyst is codissolved in a solvent with the reactants.-Acid catalysis:...
, polymer
Polymer
A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds...
formulations, electronic and magnetic materials.
Symyx offers high-speed combinatorial technologies for the discovery of new materials. Using proprietary technologies - including instruments, software and methods - enabled Symyx to generate hundreds to thousands of unique materials at a time and screen those materials rapidly and automatically for desired properties. This approach can deliver results hundreds to thousands of times faster than traditional research methods, at a fraction of the cost.
Symyx is applying this technology to revolutionize materials discovery in the life sciences, chemical, and electronics industries. Founded in 1994 by Dr. Alejandro Zaffaroni
Alejandro Zaffaroni
Alejandro Zaffaroni is a serial entrepreneur who is responsible for founding several successful biotechnology companies in Silicon Valley....
and Dr. Peter G. Schultz, Symyx' conceptual basis draws from Affymax, Inc. and Affymetrix
Affymetrix
Affymetrix is a company that manufactures DNA microarrays; it is based in Santa Clara, California, United States. The company was founded by Dr. Stephen Fodor in 1992. It began as a unit in Affymax N.V...
, Inc., which commercialized the use of high-speed combinatorial methods for pharmaceutical and genetic
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
research, respectively. Symyx screens about a million materials a year and has produced a product pipeline with several materials that have the potential to be commercialized in the next few years. Examples of their discovery efforts include X-ray storage phosphors for radiography, polymers to speed DNA research and catalysts for the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, chemicals and plastics.
In 2007 Symyx Technologies acquired MDL Information Systems
MDL Information Systems
MDL Information Systems, a provider of R&D informatics offerings for the life sciences and chemicals industries and acquired by Symyx Technologies, Inc. in 2007, was launched as a computer-aided drug design firm in January 1978 in Hayward, California.-History:The company was founded by Stuart...
, a provider of R&D informatics in the life sciences and chemicals industries, which was launched as a computer-aided drug design firm (originally named Molecular Design Limited, Inc.) in January 1978 in Hayward, CA. With this purchase came purveyorship of the Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTEC), a database of the toxic health effects of more than 100,000 chemicals commonly used in US industry. In 2008, Symyx sold the OHS business of MDL to ChemADVISOR
Chemadvisor
ChemADVISOR is a privately held company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA that provides international chemical regulatory products and services to support environmental, health, safety, and transportation compliance...
, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Recent innovations include an enterprise electronic laboratory notebook
Electronic lab notebook
An electronic lab notebook is a software program designed to replace paper laboratory notebooks. Lab notebooks in general are used by scientists and technicians to document research, experiments and procedures performed in a laboratory...
(ELN) capable of supporting multiple scientific disciplines.
In 2010 Symyx merged with Accelrys
Accelrys
Accelrys is a software company headquartered in the US, with representation in Europe and Japan. It provides software for chemical, materials and bioscience research for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, consumer packaged goods, aerospace, energy and chemical industries.Accelrys started in 2001...
, with the combined company being known as Accelrys.