ESPS Introduces CoreDossier 4.0; Links Corporate Compliance Groups Directly to Regulatory Agencies.

FORT WASHINGTON, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 20, 1999--

Leading pharmaceutical, chemical, utility companies leverage

e-Compliance capability; can realize 30 percent or more reduction in

time, costs associated with regulatory submissions

ESPS, Inc. (Electronic Submission Publishing Systems, Inc.), a leading developer of electronic compliance (e-Compliance) solutions, today announced the expanded functionality and new version of the company's flagship software product family, CoreDossier(R) 4.0. CoreDossier has already become a vital link between corporate compliance groups and regulatory agencies by enabling companies to electronically assemble and submit regulatory submissions and other compliance information. The new version contains features developed in response to the changing regulatory environment, as well as user input.

A number of regulatory agencies are developing electronic submission standards. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that the total cost of compliance reporting to the EPA is $5 billion per year and growing. This number includes the cost of data collection, document production and distribution, as well as that of review, including personnel costs. In an attempt to streamline processes and cut compliance costs, the EPA is developing electronic reporting standards and plans to only accept electronic filings by 2003.

"We are very excited about the availability of CoreDossier 4.0, as it will enhance our customers' ability to quickly and efficiently submit compliance documents," stated Terrance Brennan, chief executive officer and president of ESPS. "Many of the new features available in this version of the product were developed in response to requests from corporate regulatory managers, as well as feedback received from regulatory agencies. ESPS' unique position as a conduit between these two parties has made CoreDossier a must-have for companies in highly-regulated industries."

ESPS customers, including Quintiles Transnational, Bayer Agrochemical and Baltimore Gas and Electric, have utilized CoreDossier to substantially reduce the time and costs associated with the assembly, management and submission of regulatory documents. These savings often translate into millions of additional revenue dollars. Additionally, CoreDossier has helped other leading companies in highly regulated industries, including pharmaceuticals, utilities and chemicals, prepare for the electronic reporting standards set by regulatory agencies.

The CoreDossier 4.0 electronic compliance management software suite enables organizations to efficiently assemble, collaborate, distribute, review, publish and reuse regulatory and other business compliance information.

This new version includes support for XML; support for users creating publications based on paragraphs of information, in addition to full documents; publishing capabilities for forms-based documents; and enhanced functionality for tables of content and cross-references. Further, CoreDossier 4.0 provides a universal data-publishing gateway for seamless integration of data and documents, working with most document management systems.

"ESPS has identified issues surrounding regulatory reporting and has used technology to define and develop the e-Compliance market," said Nathaniel Palmer, analyst with The Delphi Group. "CoreDossier has already made an impact on how companies in highly regulated industries handle their regulatory submission process."

Leading companies in the pharmaceutical industry have been using CoreDossier to streamline the process of submitting new drug applications to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). In addition to decreasing the time to assemble a submission from days to hours and even minutes, the associated costs of this compliance burden can be reduced by 30 percent or more. CoreDossier streamlines the compliance process, hence helping companies bring drugs to market faster - resulting in potentially millions of dollars in additional revenue.

"Zeneca is planning to use ESPS' CoreDossier 4.0 for electronic and paper submissions in the United States, throughout Europe and, eventually, Japan," said Greg Rullo, Zeneca's Emergent Dossier Project Manager. "We're looking to CoreDossier 4.0 to provide the value-added advantage to take Zeneca to the next level."

About ESPS

ESPS, Inc. (Electronic Submission Publishing Systems, Inc.) is a leading developer of electronic compliance (e-Compliance) solutions used to manage, publish and share regulatory submissions and other business compliance information. ESPS solutions address the needs of companies faced with regulatory compliance submission requirements through the application of industry expertise, advanced technology and a commitment to high-quality implementations. The ESPS CoreDossier (R) software solution has set the standard for electronic compliance management in industries, including pharmaceutical, chemical and utilities, among others. The ESPS world headquarters is located in suburban Philadelphia, with additional offices throughout North America and in Europe. More information can be found at www.esps.com, or by reaching the company at 800.515.ESPS (North America) or [phone] (Europe).

CoreDossier is a registered trademark of ESPS, Inc.