Up until the second half of 2007 rolled around, Ambrx, a small San Diego-based biotechnology company looking for a breakthrough in protein therapeutics, had not yet enjoyed a moment that brought significant media attention. But in the span of less than six months, the company announced three major partnerships - with Merck Serono, Eli Lilly, and Merck - that launched it into the big time.

As much as executives and the communications team at the company wanted to scream ...