PharmaSeq, of Monmouth Junction, NJ, has received US Patent Number 6,376,187, “Electronically-indexed solid-phase assay for biomolecules.” This patent covers methods and materials for detecting biomolecules using beads with attached microtransponders that have information relevant to the assay encoded in their memory elements. The patent also describes a device that encodes the information in the transponders and reads the information. A similar patent, Number 6,361,950, was issued March 23rd.