<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

<documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-13</periodOfReport>
<issuer><issuerCik>0000877902</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NEOSE TECHNOLOGIES INC</issuerName>
<issuerTradingSymbol>NTEC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001207786</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DOVEY BRIAN H</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
<reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>9.78</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-13</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>30000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-05-13</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-05-13</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>30000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>30000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Domain Associates, L.L.C.</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>3.26</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-13</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2147</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-05-13</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-05-13</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2147</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2147</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Domain Associates, L.L.C.(2)</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Option is exercisable immediately on the date of grant subject to the Issuer's right of repurchase.  The Issuer's right of repurchase expires over four successive and annual installments of 7,500 each, on the first, second, third and fourth anniversaries of the date of grant.</footnote><footnote id="F2">The reporting person is one of the managing members of Domain Associates, L.L.C.  Pursuant to Instruction 4(b)(iv) of Form 4, the reporting person has elected to report as indirectly beneficially owned the entire number of securities beneficially owned by Domain Associates, L.L.C.  The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of any securities, and any proceeds thereof, that exceed his pecuniary interest therein, and/or that are not actually distributed to him.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Kathleen K. Schoemaker, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-14</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

