Microsoft Corp. recently announced the winners of its Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences Innovation Awards 2006 competition. The awards were presented at the annual meeting of the Drug Information Association in Philadelphia, and were given to companies that have demonstrated the best use of Microsoft-based solutions for breakthroughs in business processes and practices. Award recipients are worldwide life-science organizations that focus in biotechnology, diagnostics, medical equipment and devices, pharmaceuticals, animal health, nutritional products and consumer health products.

The winners are:

• GlaxoSmithKline Inc. (sales and marketing techniques)
• ALTANA Pharma AG (manufacturing and supply chain techniques)
• Pfizer Inc. (manufacturing and supply chain techniques)
• PRA International (clinical development techniques)

“We believe that innovative technology use in life sciences can create revolutionary ways of doing business, resulting in breakthroughs in research, product innovation and corporate performance,” says Steve Shihadeh, Microsoft health care and life sciences general manager. “The companies we are recognizing today exemplify a transformative use of technology and are helping their people better connect and collaborate, as well as make more informed decisions that drive overall business results.”

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