Accolade Version 5.0

Sopheon PLC
06 October 2003


EMBARGOED RELEASE 0700 HRS 6 October 2003

                                  SOPHEON PLC
                                  ('Sopheon')

             INDUSTRY FOCUS OF ACCOLADE SHARPENED WITH VERSION 5.0

Sopheon plc, the international provider of software services that improve the
return from innovation and product development investments, today introduced a
new version of its flagship product development software system.

Sopheon Accolade(R) version 5.0 is available immediately for purchase and
implementation. It offers more than three dozen new or enhanced features,
including industry-specific research centers that support assessment of product
ideas and increase the quality of critical 'go/kill' portfolio management
decisions; tools that aid in project prioritization and corresponding alignment
of resources; and new document routing and tracking features that enable
compliance with US Food and Drug Administration regulation 21 CFR Part 11 and
other regulatory standards. Enhancements to established features of the software
further reduce administrative tasks by automating the creation of key process
deliverables, help to avoid project delays by improving the visibility of
project resource demands, and strengthen team productivity by linking more
tightly Accolade's process framework to components of the widely used Microsoft(R)
Office software. For example, two-way integration with Excel(R) lets users export
metrics into workbooks, modify the data as required, then feed updated
information back into Accolade. Project reports that formerly took hours can now
be completed in minutes.

One of the principal differentiating characteristics of Accolade 5.0 is the way
in which it conforms to the unique product-development decision support and
process requirements of individual industries. 'Sopheon has distinguished itself
in delivering a process-industry PLM offering that both improves the quality of
portfolio management decision-making and reduces administrative burden and other
impediments to product development efficiency' said Ken Amann, director of
research at consulting and research firm CIMdata.

To speed and simplify deployment of Accolade, version 5.0 also supports such
major client and application platforms as Windows(R) XP and Windows NT(R) 4.0,
Microsoft(R) Office XP and Microsoft(R) Project Professional 2002.

Industry leaders such as Cargill, Glatfelter, J.M. Huber, Millipore, Mott's,
Pall Corporation, Pfizer and Wellman are using Accolade to improve innovation,
cut product development waste and shorten time-to-market.

Sopheon's CEO, Andy Michuda said:

'This latest version of Accolade is grounded in our strategic vision of building
solutions that tightly match the unique language, process demands and
decision-support requirements of individual markets. It is a system that can be
deployed quickly and cost-effectively and, once in place, ensures rapid and
lasting user adoption. We are optimistic that the depth of understanding of
client needs reflected in Accolade 5.0 will help perpetuate our track record.'


For further information contact:


Barry Mence, Chairman    Sopheon plc                Tel :  + 44 (0) 1483 685 735  
Arif Karimjee, CFO                                                 

Adam Reynolds            Hansard Communications     Tel :  + 44 (0) 207 245 1100 
Andrew Tan                                                 + 44 (0) 7957 203 685                                        
                                   
Barbara Jansen           Citigate First Financial   Tel :  + 31 (0) 205  754 010  

About Sopheon

Sopheon (LSE:SPE) is an international provider of software and services.
Sopheon's Accolade(R) product development system automates, gate- or phase-based
product development (PD) processes and provides strategic decision support that
allows companies to improve innovation, cut product development spending waste
and shorten time to market. Sopheon's Monitor software operates as a 'reading
robot' that monitors, filters, analyzes and pushes relevant content to
healthcare and engineering professionals to enable effective compliance with
protocols, standards and regulations. Sopheon is listed on the AIM market of the
London Stock Exchange and on the Euronext in the Netherlands. For more
information, please visit www.sopheon.com.



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