SPE.L Regulatory News (SPE)

19 Jan 2005 07:00

Embargoed Release: 07:00hrs Wednesday 19 January 2005 SOPHEON PLC (`Sopheon') Atrium Medical Center Selects Sopheon's Accolade Solution to Manage Clinical Trials and Innovation Projects Software Will Support Compliance with New European-Union Clinical Trial Regulations and Help Ensure Projects Are Executed Efficiently and On Time Sopheon, the international provider of solutions that improve the return frominnovation and product development, announces that Atrium Medical Center, oneof the largest general hospitals in the Netherlands, is deploying Sopheon'sAccolade solution to support implementation of a structured process forcomprehensive management of clinical trials. Use of the software is expected tohelp Atrium enhance management of trials activity and ensure compliance withthe latest European Union (EU) clinical research regulations. Accolade willalso be used by the hospital to manage innovation projects, including majorcapital investment initiatives."Pharmaceutical companies judge our clinical-trial work by the quality of theresults and the speed and cost-effectiveness with which those results aredelivered," said Dr. Graham Ramsay of Atrium's board. "Patients depend upon ourability to effect the right kinds of innovation and make the right capitalinvestments to ensure that they receive the best available care. Sopheon'ssoftware will integrate our processes for managing clinical trials andinnovation projects, making those processes more stable, predictable andefficient."The hospital is deploying Accolade at its facilities in Heerlen, Kerkrade andBrunssum. Atrium conducts approximately 70 clinical trials per year for leadingpharmaceutical companies. It is anticipated that use of the software system,which will eventually handle as many as 240 trials at one time, will increaseclinical-trials revenue by enabling faster trial preparation and execution,higher quality results and improved service to clients. Sopheon also workedclosely with Atrium to configure Accolade to fit a new, jointly-developedprocess incorporating elements of the Six Sigma manufacturing methodology thatwill be applied to management of innovation initiatives.Accolade will replace the manual, paper-based process structure that Atriumpreviously used to manage clinical trials with a reliable, easy-to-useWeb-based framework for everything from tracking schedules and budgets toassessing and allocating resources, conducting financial analyses and examiningtrial results. The system provides hospital executives, managers, clinicaltrial coordinators, doctors and researchers with the information supportrequired for tactical, day-to-day management activity as well as for strategic,longer-term business decision-making. Atrium plans to extend access to thesystem to pharmaceutical clients interested in checking on the status of trialprojects involving their products.Sopheon's CEO Andy Michuda said:"Clinical trial management is a critical step in the cycle that movespharmaceutical products from conception and development to safe adoption in themarketplace. It's estimated that, in the United States alone, approximately80,000 clinical trials are being conducted at any one time. The scale ofopportunity associated with effecting improvements in this area is great.Accolade's capacity to reduce the expense and inefficiency of the clinicaltrial process has led to its adoption by some of the leading clinical hospitalsin the world. Atrium is one such leader, and a prime example of how forwardthinking healthcare providers are harnessing technology to benefit stakeholdersthroughout the value chain."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 010About Atrium Medical CenterWith 3600 employees and 1230 beds, Atrium Medical Center (Atrium) is one of thelargest employers in the south of the Netherlands. In 2004 Atrium celebratedits 100-year anniversary. It has a national reputation for hospital innovation,and has recently participated in experimental studies on reducing patientwait-lists, increasing care-delivery production, implementing new budgetarysystems and improving patient safety. In 2003, supported by a ¢â€š¬187 millionbudget, Atrium registered 28,000 clinical admissions, 24,000 day admissions and432,000 patient visits to its policlinics. Atrium's focus on patients,professionalism, and continuity and effectiveness of treatment ensures that thequality of care it provides remains on the highest levels.About SopheonSopheon (LSE: SPE) is an international provider of software and services. TheSopheon Accolade product development system automates gate- or phase-basedproduct development processes and provides strategic decision support thatallows companies to improve innovation, cut product development spending wasteand shorten time-to-market. Sopheon's Monitor software operates as a "readingrobot" that automatically reviews, filters, analyzes and pushes relevantcontent to healthcare and engineering professionals to enable effectivecompliance with protocols, standards and regulations. Sopheon is listed on theAIM Market of the London Stock Exchange and on the Euronext in the Netherlands.For more information, please visit www.sopheon.com.END