QIAGEN and Center for Molecular Medicine Create Research Collaboration for Molecular Diagnostic Markers for Breast Cancer

VENLO, Netherlands and GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Feb. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- The Center for Molecular Medicine (CMM) today announced the formation of a collaborative effort with its affiliates and QIAGEN NV to support research focused on discovering molecular biomarkers capable of helping diagnose breast cancer and other women's health issues. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

At the center of the collaboration is the CMM's access to clinical samples, its molecular analysis capabilities as well as XenoBase, a one-of-a- kind software and database system developed at the Van Andel Research Institute. This specialized bio-informatic system is capable of analyzing a wide range of molecular and conventional clinical data to help researchers identify clinically actionable associations between diseases, biomarkers and treatments. XenoBase is the result of more than five years of work by Craig Webb, Ph.D. and Jeremy Miller, Ph.D., of the Van Andel Research Institute, a co-founding joint venture partner of CMM. Based on the result of QIAGEN's initial research, the CMM may also provide laboratory-based genomics and proteomics services to assist QIAGEN in the development and validation of new molecular diagnostic tests.

QIAGEN is a leading global provider of genetic sample and assay technologies, with 30 locations and more than 2,600 employees worldwide and a sales runrate of more than $800 million in 2008. Grand Rapids, Mich.-based CMM (www.cmmdx.org) is a CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited, state-of-the-art clinical diagnostics laboratory, founded early in 2007. The CMM's unique capabilities, including XenoBase access, on-site microarray-based DNA typing and gene expression profiling, played a vital role in bringing QIAGEN to West Michigan, as did the capabilities of CMM joint venture partners the Van Andel Institute and Spectrum Health.

"CMM is pleased that QIAGEN, a global leader in molecular diagnostics recognizes the value of software-driven biomarker research and how advanced the resources in West Michigan truly are in this rapidly emerging field," said Daniel H. Farkas, PhD, Executive Director of CMM. "The speed and analytical depth of XenoBase coupled with the CMM's access to clinical samples can give QIAGEN a competitive advantage in the development of new molecular diagnostic tests, especially in the field of oncology. The CMM is pleased to be the focal point for a West Michigan/QIAGEN partnership and is ready to support the genomic- and proteomic-based laboratory work that will surely follow."

We are impressed by the capabilities that CMM has assembled and the commitment of CMM and its supporters. We look forward to working with this prestigious center to develop next-generation molecular markers for our long- term pipeline," said Dr. Joachim Schorr, Senior VP of Global Research and Development, QIAGEN.

"We are delighted to enter into an agreement with QIAGEN to demonstrate the efficiency of the XenoBase technology in creating predictive algorithms for molecular diagnostic applications," said Craig Webb, PhD, Director of the Program of Translational Medicine at the Van Andel Institute. "The relationship between CMM and QIAGEN hopefully represents the beginnings of a molecular diagnostic pipeline that can establish an accelerated means to introduce biomarkers into medical practice."

About QIAGEN:

QIAGEN N.V., a Netherlands holding company is the leading provider of innovative sample and assay technologies and products. QIAGEN's products are considered standards in areas such pre-analytical sample preparation and assay solutions in research for life sciences, applied testing and molecular diagnostics. QIAGEN has developed a comprehensive portfolio of more than 500 proprietary, consumable products and automated solutions for sample collection, nucleic acid and protein handling, separation, and purification and open and target specific assays. The company's products are sold to academic research markets, to leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, to applied testing customers (such as in forensics, veterinary, biodefense and industrial applications) as well as to molecular diagnostics laboratories. QIAGEN employs more than 2,600 people worldwide. QIAGEN products are sold through a dedicated sales force and a global network of distributors in more than 40 countries. In this press release QIAGEN is using the term molecular diagnostics. Further information about QIAGEN can be found at www.qiagen.com.

About CMM:

The Center for Molecular Medicine, a joint venture between Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Spectrum Health and Van Andel Institute (VAI), brings West Michigan a cutting-edge laboratory that will aid in early diagnoses and enhance personalized medicine. It offers 21st century molecular technologies for investigation of complex diseases like cancer, heart disease, mental illness and other conditions at the DNA, RNA and protein levels. The Center brings new and increased opportunities for diagnostics and pharmaceutical companies to conduct trials in a world-class medical and clinical research environment. For more information, visit www.cmmdx.org.

Certain of the statements contained in this news release may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. To the extent that any of the statements contained herein relating to QIAGEN's products, markets, strategy or operating results are forward-looking, such statements are based on current expectations that involve a number of uncertainties and risks. Such uncertainties and risks include, but are not limited to, risks associated with management of growth and international operations (including the effects of currency fluctuations and risks of dependency on logistics), variability of operating results, the commercial development of the applied testing markets, clinical research markets and proteomics markets, nucleic acid-based molecular diagnostics market, and genetic vaccination and gene therapy markets, competition, rapid or unexpected changes in technologies, fluctuations in demand for QIAGEN's, products (including fluctuations due to the level and timing of customers' funding, budgets, and other factors), our ability to obtain regulatory approval of our infectious disease panels, difficulties in successfully adapting QIAGEN's products to integrated solutions and producing such products, the ability of QIAGEN to identify and develop new products and to differentiate its products from competitors' products, market acceptance of QIAGEN's new products and the integration of acquisitions of technologies and businesses. For further information, refer to the discussions in reports that QIAGEN has filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

CONTACT: Investor Relations QIAGEN - (Europe) +49 2103 29 11709, (US)
+1-240-686-2222, IR@qiagen.com; Public Relations QIAGEN - (Europe) +49 2103
29 11826, (US) +1-301-944-7610, PR@qiagen.com; Don Hunt, Lambert, Edwards &
Associates, +1-616-233-0500, dhunt@lambert-edwards.com, for Center for
Molecular Medicine

Web site: http://www.cmmdx.org/
http://www.qiagen.com/