QIAGEN acquires additional PCR licenses from Roche and Idaho Technology

Expanded IP portfolio includes rapidly growing HRM applications for all markets and applications

Venlo, The Netherlands - QIAGEN (NASDAQ: QGEN; Frankfurt, Prime Standard: QIA), today announced that it has acquired additional licenses from Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) and Idaho Technology related to the use of instrumentation and reagents for PCR-based molecular testing. Financial details were not disclosed.

The agreements cover thermal cycler rights and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods for diagnostics and all other applications. In addition, the agreements also cover rights for “high resolution melting curve analysis” (HRM) technology. This novel PCR technology, which is well leveraged by QIAGEN’s detection platform Rotor-GeneTM Q, opens up a broad array of applications such as mutation discovery, pathogen detection and methylation analysis, as it adds a further information dimension into traditional real time PCR.

With these agreements QIAGEN becomes the first Idaho Technology/ Roche licensee to have full freedom to offer HRM related instruments and reagents under license in all formats and for all purposes in research and diagnostics worldwide. The agreements complement previous settlement arrangements following QIAGEN’s 2008 acquisition of Australian PCR cycler manufacturer Corbett.

“This additional IP portfolio enables us to develop and market PCR solutions based on of the most advanced technologies for molecular diagnostics. HRM allows additional differentiation for genotyping and can be extremely well leveraged on our Rotor-GeneTM Q HRM instrument”, said Achim Ribbe, Executive Director Business Development for QIAGEN. “We now have a PCR intellectual property estate that we believe is truly unique. It puts us in the position to offer our customers in molecular diagnostics, pharma, applied testing and life science research the latest PCR technology running on the most versatile platform and covering all markets and fields, including human in vitro diagnostics.”

QIAGEN also announced it has already launched and is currently releasing new HRM products capitalizing on the complete license portfolio as well as QIAGEN’s own intellectual property, including a range of HRM PCR Kits and a new software solution for HRM based genotyping. The Company is preparing submissions of the Rotor-Gene Q and related sample and assay technologies for regulatory approval in both the US and Europe.
About Thermal Cyclers and PCR:

Thermal cyclers are the key instruments for performing polymerase chain reactions (PCR). PCR, used in life science and molecular diagnostics, is a process in which a segment of a nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) is copied or “amplified” so that the nucleic acid can be more readily analyzed. In real-time PCR, the amplified DNA is detected during, rather than at the end of, the PCR process, a feature that facilitates greater accuracy in important applications, including pathogen detection, gene expression quantization and genotyping. In 2008, QIAGEN acquired Corbett, manufacturer of the Rotor-Gene system, which is considered to be one of the world’s most versatile and high-performance PCR systems, which provides unmatched temperature uniformity and supports the broadest range of applications including advanced technologies such as HRM.
About QIAGEN:

QIAGEN N.V., a Netherlands holding company, is the leading global provider of sample and assay technologies. Sample technologies are used to isolate and process DNA, RNA and proteins from biological samples such as blood or tissue. Assay technologies are used to make such isolated biomolecules visible. QIAGEN has developed and markets more than 500 sample and assay products as well as automated solutions for such consumables. The company provides its products to molecular diagnostics laboratories, academic researchers, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, and applied testing customers for purposes such as forensics, animal or food testing and pharmaceutical process control. QIAGEN’s assay technologies include one of the broadest panels of molecular diagnostic tests available worldwide. This panel includes the digene HPV Test, which is regarded as the “gold standard” in testing for high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV), the primary cause of cervical cancer. QIAGEN employs more than 3,150 people in over 30 locations worldwide. Further information about QIAGEN can be found at http://www.qiagen.com/.

Statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements, including statements about our products, markets, strategy and operating results. Such statements are based on current expectations that involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, those associated with: management of growth and international operations (including currency fluctuations and logistics), variability of our operating results, commercial development of our markets (including applied testing, clinical and academic research, proteomics, women’s health/HPV testing and molecular diagnostics), our relationships with customers, suppliers and strategic partners, competition, changes in technology, fluctuations in demand, regulatory requirements, identifying, developing and producing integrated products differentiated from our competitors’ products, market acceptance of our products, and integration of acquired technologies and businesses. For further information, refer to our filings with the SEC, including our latest Form 20-F. Information in this release is as of the date of the release, and we undertake no duty to update this information unless required by law.