Philips 2008 Annual Report Download - page 91

Philips Research is a key innovation partner for Philips’
business sectors. It has three main roles. Firstly, it creates
new technologies that help to spur the growth of the
Philips businesses. Secondly, it develops unique IP,
which will enable longer-term business and creates
standardization opportunities for Philips. Lastly,
it sets up ventures that can grow into new adjacent
businesses for the sectors.
In 2008, Research started to develop a novel ultrasound-
based drug delivery technology that could potentially
increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy treatment
and reduce its side effects. Research is also working
on, among other things, improved water purification
technology for home use. It is compact, powerful and
cost-effective, bringing clean, safe drinking water
within everyone’s reach.
Philips has established three corporate venturing
organizations: the Healthcare, Lifestyle and Lighting &
Cleantech Incubators. The main purpose of venturing
is to create strategic growth opportunities for Philips.
In some cases spin-out or technology licensing will
be
considered. In 2008, Philips, together with Prime
Technology Ventures (PTV III), arranged for the spin-out
of five technology companies from the Incubators: amBX,
Civolution, Intrinsic-ID, priv-ID and Serious Toys.
Philips IP&S proactively pursues the creation of new
intellectual property. Its portfolio currently consists
of about 55,000 patent rights, 33,000 trademarks,
49,000 design rights and 2,600 domain name registrations.
Philips filed approximately 1,640 patents in 2008. Over
the past five years Philips has reshaped its intellectual
property portfolio in line with its new strategic focus
on health and well-being. Philips believes its business
as a whole is not materially dependent on any particular
patent or license, or any particular group of patents
and licenses.
Philips Applied Technologies supports customers both
inside and outside Philips through new technologies,
new business ideas, consultancy and new product
introduction services. In 2008, it announced the
commercial roll-out of the Ambient Experience for
Hospitality concept, with the first implementation
by the citizenM hotel chain, in Amsterdam – which
went on to win the European Hotel Design Award
as the most innovative hotel of 2008.
Corporate Investments
The remaining business within Corporate Investments
– Assembléon – is a wholly owned subsidiary that
develops, assembles, markets and distributes a diverse
range of surface-mount technology placement equipment.
In line with Philips’ strategy to reduce its portfolio
of non-core, strategically unaligned activities, the High
Tech Plastics – Optics business was sold to Triumph
Pan-Pacific in 2008.
New Venture Integration
The New Venture Integration group became fully
operational in 2008 and focuses on the integration
of newly acquired companies across all sectors.
Localized delivery of cancer drugs
Philips is developing an ultrasound-based drug delivery
technology designed to increase the effectiveness and
reduce the side effects of chemotherapy treatment
for certain types of cancer. The system proposes
the use of drug-loaded ‘microbubbles’, no larger
than red blood cells, which can be injected into the
bloodstream, tracked via ultrasound imaging, and then
ruptured by a focused ultrasound pulse to release
their drug payload when they reach the desired spot.
Because the drugs would only be released at the
site of the diseased tissue, the patient’s total body
exposure to them could be limited.
Philips Annual Report 2008 91
122
Performance statements
114
Supervisory Board report
110
Our leadership
94
Risk management
70
Our sector performance
Innovation &
Emerging Businesses