Infineon Developing New Type Of Biochip To "See' Brain Cells; Tool To Study Diseases; Company's Neuro-Chip shows plenty of promise, but still some years away.(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)

Byline: JAMES DETAR

Infineon Technologies AG can read your mind. At least, that's how the German company touts a biochip it's developing, called Neuro-Chip. The device can measure the amount of electricity in human brain cells in a new way. The company says the chip will help researchers test new drugs, and even speed up treatment of some brain diseases. Neuro-Chips will provide insight into the workings of human brain functions, helping research such diseases as Alzheimer's, says Roland Thewes, senior director at Infineon's corporate research center. Infineon is still in the testing stage. But Thewes says the company is confident it can make the Neuro-Chip in large enough quantities to make it a viable product.

Motorola, Agilent In Market

Various types of biochips have been sold for at least four years. Motorola Inc. and Agilent Technologies Inc. are among leading makers of such chips.

Frost & Sullivan Inc. analyst Nate Cosper says biochip sales rose to $1.3 billion in 2002 from $270 million in 1999. Sales of some types of biochips will grow 50% a year in coming years, Cosper says.

Some people call biochips a "lab on a chip." Researchers use them to test cells, work that had required labs to use a lot of equipment.

But Infineon has come up with something new, analysts say.