Symyx joins MDL Isentris Alliance

San Leandro and Santa Clara, CA, May 2, 2006 — Symyx Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: SMMX) has joined the rapidly expanding MDL® Isentris® Alliance, a wide-ranging community of informatics companies working with Elsevier MDL to offer researchers in pharmaceutical, biotechnology and other life sciences industries more effective, better integrated solutions to manage challenging R&D workflows.

Collaborative efforts under the MDL Isentris Alliance are particularly important to research organizations and pharmaceutical companies that rely on multiple, specialized R&D software tools. The ability to coordinate information flow between varieties of complex lab information systems is essential to effective, timely decision making.

“We’re pleased that our partnership with Elsevier MDL will offer researchers more options for assembling informatics systems that utilize common, open technology platforms,” said David Dorsett, General Manager of Symyx Software. “The integration of the Symyx Software platform with the Isentris platform will be a welcome advantage to common customers and the research community.”

Elsevier MDL Senior Vice President, Framework Development, Vikki Rehn, said: “The effective integration of research data and workflow applications offers R&D organizations a path to improved productivity. As major pharmaceutical research organizations move beyond industry-standard MDL ISIS technology to adopt the new-generation MDL Isentris platform, collaboration between leading informatics suppliers under the MDL Isentris Alliance enables rapid integration of specialty applications into a comprehensive research information system.”

Symyx joins a group of leading software and consulting companies from around the world (including Spotfire, Tripos, InfoChem, InforSense, Klee, Aston and DeltaSoft) working with Elsevier MDL to create specialized informatics solutions that combine MDL Isentris technology and offerings from different vendors to improve life science research productivity and return on R&D investment. MDL Isentris is an open technology, tiered informatics platform for integrating data, workflow applications and business processes that enables life scientists to analyze information more effectively and make better decisions.

About Elsevier MDL

Elsevier MDL provides informatics, database and workflow solutions that accelerate successful life sciences R&D by improving the speed and quality of scientists’ decision making. Researchers around the world depend on Elsevier MDL for innovative and reliable discovery informatics software solutions and services augmented by 400 Elsevier chemistry and life sciences journals and related products. For more information, visit www.mdl.com. Elsevier is a world-leading publisher of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. For more information, visit www.elsevier.com.

Elsevier is part of Reed Elsevier Group plc, a world-leading publisher and information provider. Reed Elsevier’s ticker symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam), REL (London Stock Exchange), RUK and ENL (New York Stock Exchange). For more information, visit www.reedelsevier.com.

About Symyx

Symyx Technologies, Inc. is dedicated to helping customers maximize the effectiveness and success of their research & development programs. Symyx develops and applies high-throughput research technologies and research software for customers in the pharmaceutical, chemical, energy, electronics and other industries. Symyx performs research for customers using proprietary technologies to discover new and innovative materials, sells automated high-throughput instrumentation and licenses software for use in customers’ own laboratories, and licenses discovered materials, sensors and intellectual property. Symyx has the largest portfolio of patents in the field of high-throughput materials discovery, with 307 issued patents and 384 patent applications pending. Information about Symyx, including reports and other information filed by Symyx with the Securities and Exchange Commission, is available at www.symyx.com.

MDL and Isentris are registered trademarks of MDL Information Systems, Inc. (‘Elsevier MDL’) in the United States. All rights reserved. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.

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Dr. Phil McHale

VP, Market and Corporate Communications

Elsevier MDL

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