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It has been known for decades that many students have misguided views about what scientists do, what they look like, and who they are (Barman 1997). Students typically think of [...]

This is the second installment of a two-part article focusing on royalty rate trends in the area of patent and technology licensing. Part I, which appeared in the March issue [...]

Patent licensing revenue has grown from an estimated $15 billion in 1990 to an estimated $100 billion in 1999 and an estimated $150 billion in 2003. (1) Some patent brokers [...]

Biotechnology firm Cytokinetics Inc. turned to Irix Pharmaceuticals Inc. to help the company obtain anticancer agent ispinesib for its clinical trial. Irix's medicinal chemistry process assisted Cytokinetics with the synthesis of the active pharmaceutical agent for the study, trimming the chemical steps from 11 to 6.

The raw material sector that supplies to laundry detergent makers has come up with more environment-friendly and efficient ingredients, contributing to the launch of new formulas. Henkel's Purex Complete 3-in1 detergent sheet, Clorox's Green Works and Tide Stain Release are among the new laundry detergents in the market. Sustainable raw material developments are discussed.

The chemical industry is expected to see improvements in free cash flow and credit quality in 2010, but related construction is expected to continue to struggle. Chemical industry forecasts on the inorganics, fine chemicals and specialty chemicals market, crop protection, pharmaceuticals, and laboratory instrumentation are discussed.

The shutdown of various chemical plants has left the United States without production of raw materials necessary to several manufacturing companies. The closures has also affected customers who are already straining under the recession and the growing global competition. Factors that caused the closure of the plants are also given.

Polypropylene is not getting recycled as much as other plastics in the United States. But polypropylene is now being used in packaging nonbottled consumer products. Low returns from plastic collection is seen as a reason for the development.

Major cleaning product companies are following niche marketers in the green market with the introduction of products that respond to consumer demand for greener cleaners. These companies include Clorox, Henkel, and Colgate-Palmolive. Visibly absent is Procter & Gamble who is careful not to make sustainability claims that are not backed by science.

Many chemists are moving into contract research organizations (CRO) after they've lost their jobs at big drug companies that have shut down their research facilities and had lain off employees to keep their growth and profits. The experiences of some chemists who have started new careers in CROs and their opinions on their new careers are discussed.

The differences of opinion that exist between chemical companies and environmentalists on the issue of sustainability of resources are discussed.

Suppliers and manufacturers of semiconductor materials participated in the Semicon West and Intersolar North America trade shows held in San Francisco to persuade companies selling chemicals and gases to semiconductors industries to examine options of supplying the photovoltaic industry.

Private equity firm CVC Capital Partners has acquired specialty chemical company Evonik Industries following a multibillion dollar purchase. Evonik Industries is an amalgamation of companies that was formed to help the RAG Foundation shut down Germany's coal-mining business.

The strategy adopted by companies to deal in homecare products for marketing cleaning agents and detergents that are environment friendly is discussed.

Safety and security concerns as well as new technology in the U.S. has made the industrial-strength bleach as an alternative to chlorine for water treatment plants.

Computer chip makers use mixture of acids, solvents, chelating agents, surfactants and corrosion inhibitors to remove debris and slurries generated during manufacture of chips. Chemical companies are now working on upgrading cleaners or cleaning mixtures for next-generation computer chips.

The semiconductor maker Texas Instruments has developed a new manufacture process to build the next generation of logic-type processors, chips containing extremely small circuit lines. Despite being extremely simple and fast to fabricate, these chips are not being generated by all the electronic chemicals industry, as the initial investments required are very high.

In its January 9, 2007, opinion in MedImmune, Inc. v. Genentech, Inc., (1) the Supreme Court removed a significant barrier to licensees desiring to challenge the validity or enforceability of [...]

The cleaning products industry, the one, which manufactures washing detergents, is looking for environmental friendly products after urgings from the super store titan Wal-Mart, the public and legislators. Procter and Gambles' new detergent Tide Coldwater is aimed at environmental conscious users and states that Tide can help save the energy costs.

The carpet recycling industry in the US is on the verge of recovery after a dull and unprofitable decade since 1996. Participants in the recycling business attribute the turnaround to a combination of principle and pragmatism which saw carpet recycling in 2005 up 100% over the year before with double growth projected for 2007.

The number of employees in Dupont dropped from 105,000 in 1995 to 60,000 in 2005, as many of them joined new firms after Dupont sold out its large businesses. A new group of companies, mostly involved in life sciences, is growing up in the Wilmington region under the leadership of people who left Dupont, and such firms are providing opportunities for ex-Duponters in an entrepreneurial environment.

The new Japanese Pharmaceutical regulations allowed the drug companies to turn over their pharmaceutical chemical manufacturing to outsiders, enabling to create better business for Japanese and foreign contract manufacturers alike, but after certain years, it wasn't proving good. It was observed that restructuring is creating separate manufacturing subsidiaries that are starting to compete with traditional pharmaceutical chemical suppliers and with little to no sales were found in Japan.

Back in 2000, at the infancy of the boom in business method patents in the United States, then-Director of the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Q. Todd Dickinson, remarked [...]

The launch of Tide in 2004 by Procter & Gamble with a Touch of Downy laundry detergent spurred the laboratories of specialty chemical companies to develop ingredients that could be used in the two-in-one brands, in which the polymers and enzymes are used to create a cleaning chassis compatible with the softener system. Selling an innovative product that consumers fall for is often the only way marketers can achieve good growth and decent profits.

Massachusetts based ArQule plans to exit the contract chemistry service business in order to focus on developing its oncology portfolio. ArQule decision stems from the fact that chemistry services have become fiercely competitive due to the onslaught of companies based in India, Russia and China where salaries for the chemists are much lower than the U.S.

Many firms are looking ways to enhance premium products and to adapt their cleaning chemistries to less expensive products that are sold in the developing world. Clorox Co.'s Clorox with Teflon Surface Protector line of home care products and Procter & Gamble's Mr. CleanAutoDry Carwash are some of the examples that shows that the customers needs range from high-end surface modification chemistry to affordable ingredients that are provided by these companies for the emerging markets.

An increase in the number of companies in the chip-smoothing chemical market involving the chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) slurries is highlighted. CMP is a technique used by chipmakers to smooth or polish the successive layers of circuitry that they deposit on silicon wafers while fabricating a chip.

The Semiconductor Industry Association issued a midyear forecast that calls for 28.6% growth in semiconductor sales in the year 2004 to $214 billion worldwide. The vice President of Clariant's AZ Electronic Materials unit, Friedrich Herold stated that the firm enjoys annual growth of more than 20% due to strong sales of photoresists and ancillary materials.

Entrepreneurial companies with therapeutic ideas are developing new drugs and many of them are outsourcing scale-up and production of these compounds. Case studies of the relationship between a drug company and pharmaceutical chemical supplier are presented.

Henkel the German consumer products giant introduced new product forms. Henkel is trying to improve their product quality without changing the ingredients. P&G feels collaboration and innovation can play an important role in this industry.

This article provides an overview of the difficulties that chemical companies are facing in their efforts to provide new chemicals for the semiconductor industry, and stay profitable all while the semiconductor industry is cutting costs.

This article provides an overview of changes within the pharmaceutical industry. Due to excess capacity and declining profits from new drugs, some large drug companies are making drugs for smaller companies. However, these large companies are competing with smaller companies that already offer these services.

The author examines the growing collaboration between chemical supplies and manufacturers to work together on product development. Topics include an examination of successful collaborations, use of new precarbonates, and the development of new catalytic oxidation technology.

This article provides an overview of outsourcing services within the pharmaceutical industry. Merck KGaA, Aventis, Pharmacia, Boehringer Ingelheim, Abbott Laboratories, and Schering AG are among a number of drug companies that still produce their own drugs. These companies are also offering their production services to othe drug companies. In contrast, many drug companies have assigned production to third-party companies.

Morton Grove, Ill.-based Regis Technologies Inc. has expanded its operations to take advantage of the rapid growth in the generic drugs market. Generic drug companies manufacture imitations of patented drugs based on the active pharmeceutical ingredients used in the origical medications.

Innovation is not without risks, as is documented by the fact that many new products fail to live up to marketing hype, product specifications, or financial expectations. Yet, new products drive this industry. Presently, Tide is the leading U.S. detergent.

Midland, Mich.-based Dow Chemical Co., which recently acquired Union Carbide for $7.4 billion, is led by president and chief executive officer Michael D. Parker. Dow, which was founded in 1897, has become one of the largest and most diverse chemical companies in the world.