Innovative Simulation Software Proven to Meet Accuracy, Performance and Compatibility With TSMC's N40 Process Technologies

SAN JOSE, Calif., May 19, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Magma(r) Design Automation Inc. (Nasdaq:LAVA), a provider of chip design software, announced today that FineSim(tm) SPICE has been certified to meet the accuracy, performance and process compatibility requirements of the TSMC SPICE Tool Qualification Program. Designers can now use FineSim SPICE with the TSMC Model Interface (TMI) on any design targeted at TSMC N40 nanometer processes with a higher level of confidence in achieving first-time silicon success.

"The link between FineSim SPICE and TSMC processes has been enhanced," said Tom Quan, deputy director of Design Services Marketing at TSMC. "Magma's aggressive adoption of TMI ensures that customers will benefit from further improvements in simulation accuracy and performance."

"This qualification from TSMC gives our customers more confidence and flexibility in verifying their most challenging designs," said Anirudh Devgan, general manager of Magma's Custom Design Business Unit. "Many of our customers have already benefited from increased speed and capacity enabled by FineSim SPICE's Native Parallel Technology(tm). Now the benefit will be further enhanced when using the TMI with FineSim SPICE and FineSim Pro."

FineSim SPICE: Simulating Advanced Circuits

FineSim SPICE is a SPICE-level simulation analysis tool that incorporates transistor-level simulation analysis capabilities for mixed digital and analog designs. FineSim SPICE is a full SPICE simulation engine with distributed processing that enables customers to simulate large-scale mixed-signal system chips at the transistor level. By providing increased speed and capacity while maintaining full SPICE accuracy, FineSim SPICE enables designers to simulate advanced circuits -- such as PLLs, ADCs (analog-to-digital converters), DACs (digital-to-analog converters) and gigahertz SERDES (SERializer/DESerializer) -- that they previously would not even attempt using slower traditional SPICE simulators.

About Magma

Magma's software for designing integrated circuits (ICs) is used to create complex, high-performance chips required in cellular telephones, electronic games, WiFi, MP3 players, DVD/digital video, networking, automotive electronics and other electronic applications. Magma's EDA software for IC implementation, analysis, physical verification, circuit simulation and characterization is recognized as embodying the best in semiconductor technology, enabling the world's top chip companies to "Design Ahead of the Curve"(tm) while reducing design time and costs. Magma is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., with offices around the world. Magma's stock trades on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol LAVA. Visit Magma Design Automation on the Web at www.magma-da.com.

Magma is a registered trademark, and "Design Ahead of the Curve," FineSim and Native Parallel Technology are trademarks of Magma Design Automation Inc. All other product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Forward-looking statements:

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release including statements that FineSim SPICE provides better accuracy and performance than other circuit simulation products, allows simulation of very large designs and about the features and benefits of Magma software and TSMC's TMI and SPICE Tool Qualification Program are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including but not limited to Magma's and TSMC's abilities to keep pace with rapidly changing technology and the companies' products' and technologies' abilities to produce desired results. Further discussion of these and other potential risk factors may be found in Magma's public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (www.sec.gov). Magma undertakes no additional obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

CONTACT:  Magma Design Automation Inc.
          Monica Marmie, Director, Marketing Communications
          (408) 565-7689
          
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