May 9, 2003 — CombiMatrix Corp., of  Mukilteo, Wash., one of two operating groups of Acacia Research Corp., has entered into a multiyear strategic alliance with Toppan Printing Corp. of Tokyo to make microarrays using CombiMatrix’s electrochemical detection approach.

Under the deal, Toppan will pay CombiMatrix an up-front fee and milestone payments. The two companies will co-develop new arrays for life science research and diagnostics applications. When the products are commercialized, Toppan will manufacture them for CombiMatrix and will share revenues and royalties. It is not the first small tech collaboration for Toppan. In 2001, it partnered with E Ink Corp. for development of electronic paper.