Merck KGaA
(EMD in North America) announced today the extension of its existing strategic
alliance with Nano-Terra, Inc., a leading nanotechnology co-development company.
The original agreement between the companies, announced in February 2007, was
to develop innovative, nanotechnology-based products and solutions based on
Merck’s materials.
After successfully meeting initial development milestones, this new agreement
will focus on specific application development for Merck customers and moving
the technical capabilities into the marketplace for commercialization.
Under the new agreement, which extends the partnership through 2011, Nano-Terra
will develop novel application techniques for existing Merck materials which
are designed to address market opportunities where smaller (micron and nanometer)
feature sizes are required for certain printable electronics components. The
Merck fabrication processes will be based on Nano-Terra’s proprietary
soft lithography technology, invented and pioneered by Professor George Whitesides
of Harvard University, a co-founder of Nano-Terra, and the partners will share
commercialization rights on a global basis. Terms of the agreement were not
disclosed.
The new development work will be done at Nano-Terra's lab facilities in Cambridge,
with close cooperation of a Merck scientific team and by EMD Chemicals, Merck's
North American affiliate.
Dr. Thomas Geelhaar, Vice President Liquid Crystals R&D and Business Development
Chemicals of Merck KGaA, said, "We were very pleased by the progress made
in the initial stages of our relationship with Nano-Terra. We look forward to
our continued collaboration with Professor Whitesides and his team, and to building
on these developments to create specific products which we believe will provide
significant benefits to our customers.”
"Through its embrace of innovative technologies and applications, Merck
continues to underscore its commitment as a pioneer in research and development,”
said Dr. Carmichael Roberts, Vice Chairman of Nano-Terra. "We are delighted
to extend our working relationship with them and to enhance their exploration
of how to best optimize materials to improve products and processes for its
customers.”
In 2006, Merck bestowed on Professor Whitesides the prestigious Emanuel Merck
Lectureship prize.