WuXi PharmaTech Congratulates the 2010 Nobel Laureates in Chemistry

SHANGHAI, Oct. 11 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- WuXi PharmaTech (NYSE: WX), a leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device research and development outsourcing company with operations in China and the United States, today extended its congratulations to Dr. Richard Heck, Dr. Ei-ichi Negishi, and Dr. Akira Suzuki on winning the 2010 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. The prize was awarded for the development of palladium-catalyzed cross coupling, which has vastly improved the ability of chemists to create sophisticated chemical compounds. Dr. Negishi spoke at WuXi headquarters in July in the company's Science Seminar Series.

Dr. Negishi graduated from the University of Tokyo in 1958 and did his internship at Teijin Ltd., a Japanese pharmaceutical and chemical company. He earned a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1963 under the supervision of Dr. Allan Day. In 1966, he became a postdoctoral researcher at Purdue University, and he served as assistant to Nobel laureate Dr. Herbert Brow beginning in 1968. He was appointed assistant professor of chemistry at Syracuse University in 1972 and full professor at Purdue University in 1979. Dr. Negishi is the author or co-author of more than 375 papers, 30 essays, and two books.

WuXi scientists were highly impressed by Dr. Negishi's lectures in July, titled "Evolution of the Pd-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling for C-C Bond Formation: Complementary with the Grignard Chemistry" and "Zirconium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Carboalumination of Alkenes." The WuXi PharmaTech Science Seminar Series is a monthly program that invites the world's top scientific minds and leaders in the pharmaceutical industry to speak to the company's scientists. The program aims to keep them informed about the latest developments in a broad range of topics in pharmaceutical research and development.

"Congratulations to Dr. Negishi, Dr. Heck, and Dr. Suzuki on winning the 2010 Nobel Prize in Chemistry," commented Dr. Ge Li, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of WuXi AppTec. "I would again like to extend my sincere appreciation to Dr. Negishi for sharing his expertise and knowledge with WuXi PharmaTech's scientists. We have gained inspiration and insight from these world-class scientists."