CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Jan. 19 /PRNewswire/ - EKMS, Inc., an intellectual property management firm headquartered in Cambridge, MA today announced it has purchased the assets of Metrics Group of Falls Church, VA, a developer of patent software and analytical tools. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Metrics Group specializes in patent mapping, mining, and analytics, and its reports are used by technology licensing professionals, intellectual property attorneys, securities analysts, and corporate strategists.

"All thorough IP evaluations begin with solid front-end analysis such as patent mining and technology landscape surveys," noted EKMS CEO Ed Kahn. "Acquiring Metrics' software tools enhances our capabilities in this area and complements the more in-depth human analysis by EKMS experts, who identify intellectual property trends and opportunities for our clients."

"I am very proud that the assets of Metrics Group have found a home at EKMS," added Simone Friedman, Director of Business Development at Metrics Group. "We have worked with EKMS for several years and we are impressed with the firm's high emphasis on project quality and client satisfaction. I am confident they will uphold the standards and integrity of all patent mining or patent mapping services requested by our clients."

According to Kahn, demand for IP analysis has increased sharply. "In the past, companies were focused solely on generating revenue from their own patent portfolios. Now, as IP managers become more sophisticated, they understand there is tremendous potential to utilize technologies that lie outside the company."

EKMS, founded in 1986, helps companies evaluate and license their intellectual property (IP), including patents and proprietary technologies. The company's clients span a range of industries and include Raytheon, IBM, Dow, J2 Global Communications, DuPont, Thomson Multimedia, Pitney Bowes, Telcordia, Boeing, Boston Scientific, Rohm & Haas, and Pharmacia.

Contact:
Heidi Bleau
617-864-2100
hbleau@ekms.com