NovoDynamics Receives a Second U.S. Patent for its Knowledge-Based Approach for Materials Development.

July 29, 2004
Ann Arbor, MI

NovoDynamics, Inc., the Advanced Discovery Informatics™ company, announced today the granting of a second U.S. Patent that covers its knowledge-based process for the discovery and development of novel materials. With patents #6,647,342 and #6,763,309, NovoDynamics expands its proprietary position in the application of advanced modeling tools and data analysis techniques to the discovery of new materials.

When applied to the development of heterogeneous catalysts, the claimed process, called the catalyst development engine, guides the scientist in generating hypotheses and planning next experiments. It applies advanced machine learning methods and kinetic modeling tools to the analysis of data from experiments, computational chemistry, and existing domain knowledge. This approach leverages advances in high-throughput experimentation and computational chemistry that accelerate data generation, and provides a rational framework to guide experiments and maximize learning unlike conventional combinatorial methods based on screening of large libraries of materials compositions.

"Informatics is a critical component of the high-throughput materials discovery process and this patent supports NovoDynamics' leadership in this area," says Jan Lerou, NovoDynamics' CTO. "With advances in high-throughput experimentation, data generation is no longer the bottleneck in the discovery process but rather the analysis of the resulting large volume of data and its integration in the experiment planning process has become critical. This patent provides a knowledge-based framework to guide the discovery process."

The patented process supports the underlying concept for NovoDynamics' software suite ArborChem™ which offers the first integrated advanced informatics system for combinatorial and high-throughput discovery of catalysts, materials, and formulated systems. ArborChem provides advanced data management, data analysis and predictive modeling software that allows the scientist to interpret large amounts of complex, heterogeneous data and use the extracted knowledge to guide the design of the next experiment in the search for better performing materials. Unlike other commercial products that typically address only components of the overall discovery problem and are difficult to integrate and manage, the ArborChem system is comprehensive, scalable, and can be integrated with a customer's existing informatics infrastructure.

NovoDynamics, Inc. creates and sells leading-edge pattern recognition and data mining software products and services focused on three markets: Document Exploitation; Pharmaceutical Discovery and Development; and Chemical Discovery and Development. Its customers are global, "Fortune 500" companies, which are typically technology leaders in their key markets, and important government agencies. NovoDynamics' unique data mining and pattern recognition competencies are based on its Advanced Discovery Informatics™ technology platform that can be applied to different markets where the common need is to uncover hidden trends, relationships, and information in large, complex databases and document collections. NovoDynamics is a privately owned company located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. For more information visit their web site www.novodynamics.com.