"SmartChem has allowed my colleagues and I to target specific companies and identify new worldwide opportunities to grow our business. It has also helped increase the effectiveness of my prospecting visits."

- Mr. Robert J. Byron,
Business Development Manager, Tosoh USA, Inc.

"ROW2's RouteDesign report gave us novel synthetic routes suitable for commercial scale that we had not considered before, and therefore, added to our team's knowledge. We would definitely use this service again."

- Dr. Peter Zimmermann,
Head of Process Research at Altana Pharma AG.

"The three-molecule trial was a success. As a matter of fact, we are practicing some of the chemistry from two of the trial RouteDesigns in our laboratories today."

- Dr. Hans-Rudolf Marti,
Head Science and Technology at Siegfried Ltd.

"In all instances, where we contacted ROW2 to update chemical details through their after-sales service, their replies were prompt, detailed and very helpful."

- Mr. Robert J. Byron,
Business Development Manager, Tosoh USA, Inc.

"We have been more than pleased with the service ROW2 Technologies has provided us and the power of the SmartChem system."

- Mr. T. Justus Homburg,
Chief Executive Officer, Chirogen Pty Ltd.

Read about the Author:

Dr. Joseph D'Antuono, here.

ROW2 World:

ROW2 - 2005 Review

• New Website (Jan 05): ROW2 unveiled a new website this year.



• Launched CI2E Quarterly (Mar 05): Our informative, interactive and entertaining Newsletter is enjoying readership of over 5000 key industry professionals from USA, Canada, Europe and India.



• WebSeminar (Jun 05): ROW2 hosted a web seminar entitled "Outsourcing Trends: A Strategic ‘CRAMS’ Destination - India". The event was successfully attended by over 30 people from worldwide organizations.



• Our Customers: In 2005 ROW2 achieved a landmark of servicing 500 customers for its various offerings.



• Events: ROW2 attended nine events & conferences this year.
  See a list here.
  
  ROW2 will exhibit at Informex 2006 (booth #952), Feb. 14-17, Orlando,
  FL USA. We will also attend the ACS ProSpectives conference on Process Chemistry in the Pharma Industry, March 5-8, Miami, FL USA and the Drug Development Summit 2006, February 12-15, Phoenix, AZ.
  
  SPECIAL OFFER - Want to attend the Drug Development Summit? As a friend of ROW2, save an additional 15% on your registration by using priority code: DDS06ROW2. A saving of over $250! The first early bird rate expires on Dec. 20th - so hurry to maximize your savings!

SmartChem - 2005 In Retrospect

Our endeavor was to make 2005, an eventful year for our customers. Our SmartChem subscribers took part in the following value adding, informative and enjoyable programs:

• SmartChem Cricket Contest (Apr 05): An exciting contest was organized for our Indian subscribers. Participants relished its interesting rounds and the winners bagged Gold and Silver coins as prizes. Mr. Kauntey Sonrexa, Ranbaxy Research laboratories and Mr. Hiren Patel, Cadila Pharmaceuticals Ltd won Bonanza prizes.



• ROW2 Event Guide (Oct 05): Our new Event Guide for CPhI was smartly used by our customers to identify the right targets present at this international event and set up meeting with them. This Guide will also be available for select leading international events in 2006!



• Suggestion Week (Oct 05): Our "Suggestion Week" gave a special open forum to SmartChem subscribers to share their comments and concerns directly with our COO.



• My Dream SmartChem contest (Oct 05): Organized during the suggestion week, this contest was well received by SmartChem customers. It gave them the opportunity to share improvement ideas for SmartChem and win exciting prizes.



• "RapidFire" to be launched in Dec 05: A new SmartChem enhancement, "RapidFire" has undergone a successful trial run and will be launched soon.

Featured Article

Current Trends in Route Design and Selection

Summary of Article to appear in the December issue of Chemistry Today.
Written by Dr. Joseph D'Antuono & Ms. Anik Roy of ROW2 Technologies, Inc.

The pharmaceutical industry is under increasing market pressures to develop a greater quantity of new drugs faster and at lower cost. Meanwhile, the processes of drug discovery, development, and commercialization are growing more complex, time consuming and costly. The challenge facing most companies is to create a development process that is fast, efficient, and capable of generating high-quality process designs.

ROW2 Technologies conducted a survey that aimed at understanding the key characteristics and drivers involved in selecting a synthetic route during the development process. Process chemists at forty-two companies participated in the survey, including pharmaceutical, biotechnology and chemical companies.

The article highlights the growing importance and impact of selecting an efficient route early in the development process. In a perfect world, process chemists would have unlimited time and resources to design robust and cost effective syntheses early on. But there is an inherent dilemma: "time" versus "money".

Some interesting statistics reported in the article:

• 97% of companies locked in the final route to be used for manufacturing during phase II.
• About 50% of companies had to remake portions of the pivotal tox. studies because a synthetic change created an impurity above the 0.1% threshold.
• Late in the development process, 92% of companies looked to expand IP around a compound in order to block generic competition.
• 56% of companies in our survey re-evaluate synthetic options to marketed compounds. The top three objectives stated were to 'reduce costs', 'find better chemistry' and 'protect intellectual property'.

Realistically, current pressures on process chemists will not go away and may even get worse, but there is a lot to be gained from developing and selecting a commercial process early in the development cycle. The article also presents new outsourcing models which have emerged that allow drug companies to systematically consider a greater number of routes, leverage novel processes and ultimately augment their in-house capabilities.

Let us know if you want a copy of the article when it comes out.

ROW2 picks of the quarter

To keep track of the latest industry/chemistry news, our research and commercial teams review several journals, publications and websites per month. Here are some interesting picks, which will be of relevance to you. Let us know what you think of our selections!

Pharma Reformulates
Published in: C&E News, Dec. 5, 2005 issue.
Great overview of the pharmaceutical industry. The author covers the market leaders, top 10 products, generics and blockbusters, pipeline health, R&D trends, and more.

Utilizing a Matrix to Make API Sourcing Decisions
Published in: American Pharmaceutical Outsourcing, Sep/Oct 2005.
(free registration req'd)
A Senior Supply Manager at GSK explains a 'matrix' approach to choosing the best supplier for your needs.

Nuclear Imaging in the Pharma Industry: The Cost-Value-Benefit-Risk Equation
Published in: American Pharmaceutical Review, Sep/Oct 2005.
(free registration req'd)
This interesting article reviews key questions to evaluate the value of weaving imaging techniques into new drug development and examines the business risks & benefits of using nuclear medicine techniques.

The field of Green Chemistry is well-known… it promotes innovative chemical technologies that reduce/eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances in the design, manufacture, and use of chemical products. It is a highly effective approach to pollution prevention.

But have you ever heard of Green Compounds?

At the CHI conference on Process Chemistry in Oct., several attendees asked about the availability of commercially available green compounds. But no one seemed to have an answer. Green compounds come from renewable or bio-based sources, i.e. not oil-based. This brings the science of green chemistry back to the selection of starting materials.

With the increased popularity of environmentally-friendly processes, it only makes sense that companies would also look to use compounds made in a 'green way'.
Do you know of any suppliers of green starting materials or informational sources about this topic?

Share your thoughts and wisdom about Green Compounds here.

Chemistry World 2005 Highlights:

- Nobel prize winners
in the field of chemistry were: Yves Chauvin, Robert H. Grubbs, & Richard R. Schrock for the development of the metathesis method in organic synthesis.

- Atomic Imaging through Field Ion Microscope turns 50. Read more in C&E News.

- Top Mergers:
Crompton Corp. & Great Lakes Chemical Corp. - July 1, 05

Cytec Industries Inc. & UCB's Surface Spec. Div. - Mar. 1, 05

Genzyme Corp. & Bone Care Int'l - June 30, 05

- GATT in India: New patent laws that apply to generic drugs launched after Jan. 1, 1995 are now in effect in India. With these new patent laws, India is increasingly becoming a preferred location for Pharma MNCs to set up their operations.

Joke:
Q. What weapon can you make from the elements potassium, nickel and iron?
A. a KNiFe.

Trivia Answer, Issue 2:

Sand… can make you blind or make you see. It can build castles and tear them down.

Congratulations to our winner!
Michael English, FMC Lithium.