Scimagix Introduces Enhanced Image Informatics Solution for the Life Sciences.

Business Editors/Health & Medical Writers

SAN MATEO, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--July 22, 2002

Scimagix Releases SIMS 1.6 With Improved Navigation, Batch

Processing and Dynamic Ontology Search Capability

Scimagix(TM) Inc., the pioneer of enterprise image

informatics solutions for pharmaceutical and biotechnology research and development (R&D), today announced the release of the Scientific Image Management System (SIMS(TM)) version 1.6. This new release offers improved functionality in primary features such as the user interface and batch processing and adds Image Navigation, a new feature that enables dynamic ontology searching.

The infrastructure platform of Scimagix's enterprise image management system, SIMS allows researchers to search, mine and analyze image data, and to integrate image data with other types of research data. SIMS is the only open, scalable, Web-deployed enterprise image management system built on an Oracle(R) database. Recognizing the value of image data in accelerating drug discovery and development, eight of the leading 15 pharmaceutical companies use the Scimagix image informatics system.

Enhanced features of SIMS 1.6

With this release, Scimagix has redesigned the SIMS user interface for improved navigation and display. A new set of menu options with simple icons indicates selection choices at a glance, providing improved usability. Version 1.6 also offers comprehensive online help for SIMS users.

Scimagix has enhanced the SIMS batch processing features to simplify the process of importing data into SIMS using standard spreadsheet capabilities. SIMS 1.6 has a new interface for batch input of data allowing direct data entry, and the ability to "cut and paste" from an Excel spreadsheet directly into SIMS. The enhanced batch-loading feature of SIMS 1.6 is expected to save researchers considerable time and effort.

SIMS 1.6 also features Image Navigation, a new capability that enables dynamic ontology searching, allowing researchers to automatically arrange data in accordance with a hierarchy of specified image descriptors. Should this result suggest an alternative context to present the images and associated data, Image Navigation enables quick reorganization of the data structure to provide a different perspective of the relationships among image descriptors. For example, a researcher might elect to sort a data sample according to the anatomical origin of the sample, the drug under investigation, and the drug dosage per administration. By simply selecting the "change view" option of the Image Navigation feature, a researcher can view the data according to a different set of criteria or cross-reference the data by combining two or more parameters.

"The Scimagix image informatics solution has quickly become essential for pharma and biotech companies seeking to speed drug discovery and development," said Robert Dunkle, president and CEO, Scimagix. "We've upgraded SIMS with the product features our customers told us would save time and make them even more productive. And with the dynamic ontology searching capabilities of Image Navigator, we've added a new way for researchers to examine data and gain fresh insight into relationships involved in drug discovery."

Availability

SIMS 1.6 is currently available. Please contact Scimagix at www.scimagix.com or call 1-877-SCIMAGIX for further information.

About Scimagix Inc.

Scimagix(TM) Inc., based in San Mateo, Calif., is the leading provider of image informatics solutions for pharmaceutical research and development (R&D). Its flagship SIMS(TM) (Scientific Image Management System) platform, an Oracle(R)/Web-based database management system, utilizes open architecture to provide researchers with a comprehensive and searchable image database. The Scimagix Application Suite supports high throughput analysis and mining of image data with its proprietary visual content search technology, dramatically increasing the accuracy and productivity of R&D processes. Scimagix serves eight of the top 15 pharmaceutical companies including Pfizer Global R&D and Eli Lilly & Co.