SAN DIEGO, June 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Microsoft Corp. today announced winners of the 2009 Microsoft Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences Innovation Awards, honoring companies that have made the most innovative use of Microsoft-based solutions for breakthroughs in business processes and practices throughout the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry.

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Announced at the Drug Information Association's (DIA) 45th annual meeting in San Diego, the awards were presented in the categories of discovery and product innovation, sales and marketing, and clinical development.

"The companies recognized are examples of innovators who have developed technology solutions to address the major issues impacting the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry today," said Michael Naimoli, director of U.S. life sciences industry solutions at Microsoft. "By building upon the existing Microsoft software platform, this year's winners demonstrated solutions that help streamline clinical trial and discovery processes to facilitate research and discovery, as well as improve the end user's experience."

Award Winners

Submissions for this year's awards came from global life sciences corporations specializing in biotechnology, diagnostics, medical equipment and devices, pharmaceuticals, animal health, nutritional products, and consumer health products. The winners are the following:

-- Discovery and Product Innovation: HUNT Research Centre and Biobank

Norway-based HUNT Research Centre and Biobank hosts one of the

largest population-based health studies ever performed, consisting

of three separate studies that span nearly 25 years and evaluate

the same patient population. The studies, initiated to support

epidemiological, clinical and preventive medical research, offer

valuable insight into disease status and progression, particularly

in relation to quality-of-life measures such as one's environment,

education and occupation. In preparation for the third study, HUNT

Research Centre and Biobank recognized the need to deploy a

technology to better manage and analyze real-time data.

HUNT Research Centre and Biobank implemented Thermo Scientific

Nautilus Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) to

facilitate their ability to gather, store, manage, track and

retrieve data securely, and yield real-time, dependable analysis

and reports.