QIAGEN Introduces Comprehensive Solution for Ep...

Expanded EpiTect portfolio targets growing demand for standardized
sample and assay technologies to investigate processes regulating
gene function

Venlo, The  Netherlands  - June  18,  2008 -  QIAGEN  (NASDAQ:  QGEN;
Frankfurt,  Prime  Standard:  QIA)  today  announced  a   significant
expansion of its  EpiTect product portfolio  for epigenetics, one  of
the most dynamic areas in life sciences. With the five new  products,
QIAGEN now  offers  standardized  solutions  covering  all  steps  of
epigenetic research processes  in molecular  diagnostics, pharma  and
life  sciences.  By  removing  existing  bottlenecks  in   epigenetic
research, the new products  are expected to  advance progress in  the
development of new diagnostics and therapeutics for cancer and  other
diseases.

Epigenetics focuses  on  the study  of  various phenomena  which  are
linked to the genome but do not result from genetic variability.  One
of the major mechanisms  which has been  identified to regulate  gene
expression  is  a  chemical  modification  of  the  DNA  called   DNA
methylation, acting like an "on" and  "off" switch for genes. As  DNA
methylation is believed  to play a  major role in  many diseases,  in
particular cancers, epigenetic research  holds great promise for  the
development of novel biomarkers in diagnostics and for  therapeutics.
Scientific progress  has  been hindered  by  a lack  of  standardized
methods and incompatibilities  between technologies employed.  QIAGEN
is now  removing these  barriers with  the expansion  of its  EpiTect
product line,  providing  its  customers  in  molecular  diagnostics,
pharma and life sciences with complete pre-analytical and  analytical
workflow solutions  which guarantee  reproducible results  even  from
scarce tissue samples and highest quality of downstream applications.

Epigenetic research has recently gained significant momentum  leading
to many  stunning discoveries.  Discoveries  show that  various  cell
types have  unique patterns  of DNA  methylation, thus  providing  an
explanation for the  transformation of stem  cells to various  tissue
types in  the human  body. In  addition, research  demonstrates  that
methylation  patterns  can  change  over   time  as  a  reaction   to
environmental conditions  and  are  also hereditary.  That  way,  the
behaviour of an individual - e.g. his nutrition uptake - can have  an
influence on future generations.

The overall market for epigenetic applications is currently estimated
to grow at an annual compound growth rate of 60 percent and to exceed
US$ 4 Billion by 2012. Thereby, research primarily aims to deepen our
understanding  of  the  highly  sophisticated  epigenetic  regulation
mechanism and to develop  new therapeutics targeting and  diagnostics
incorporating  DNA  methylation  patterns  as  highly  sensitive  and
specific biomarkers.

"Epigenetics  is  an  extremely  dynamic  area  of  research  and  an
important market  for QIAGEN,"  said  Gerald Schock,  Global  Product
Manager WGA Epigenetics at QIAGEN.  "Our expanded portfolio brings  a
new level of  efficiency, convenience and  reliability to  epigenetic
research and will help to further advance and disseminate  epigenetic
applications by  removing key  bottlenecks previously  hindering  the
corresponding research work."

At an early stage,  QIAGEN recognized the  growing market demand  for
specific, standardized sample and  assay technologies for  epigenetic
research and launched its first  product in 2006, establishing a  new
standard for  sample processing  for  DNA methylation  analysis.  The
expanded   product    offering    includes   a    novel    technology
representatively amplifying specifically treated  DNA needed for  the
methylation analysis, allowing researchers to perform multiple  tests
from limited  sample material.  Moreover,  these products  include  a
real-time  PCR  based  test-kit  for  the  quantitative  analysis  of
methylated DNA, assays for differentiation of methylated DNA in genes
related  to  cancer   and  a   novel  PCR   based  technology   which
significantly improves accuracy of qualitative analysis of methylated
DNA. Finally,  the portfolio  includes control  DNAs used  to  verify
methylation  analysis,  thus  increasing  standardization  in   assay
setups.

About DNA methylation
The ability to  detect and quantify  DNA methylation efficiently  and
accurately is an essential tool for  scientists to study the role  of
epigenetic changes in cancer and  other serious diseases, as well  as
many other clinical  applications. Methylation is  a natural  process
that occurs  when cytosine,  one of  the DNA's  four bases,  will  be
modified  with  a  methyl  group.  The  presence  of  methylation  is
responsible for controlling  the activity  of genes  by turning  them
off, like a switch, when not needed. By measuring the differences  in
the methylation  patterns  between  healthy and  diseased  tissue,  a
change in gene activity as  an early prognostic biomarker that  could
trigger diseases, such as cancer, can be detected.

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 isolated biomolecules visible for study. QIAGEN  has
developed and markets more  than 500 consumable  products as well  as
automated solutions. 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   only   FDA-approved  test   for   human
papillomavirus (HPV), the primary  cause of  cervical cancer.  QIAGEN
employs more  than  2,700  people in  over  30  locations  worldwide.
Further information about QIAGEN can be found at www.qiagen.com.


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, women's  health/HPV testing markets,  nucleic
acid-based molecular diagnostics market, and genetic vaccination  and
gene  therapy   markets,  changing   relationships  with   customers,
suppliers and strategic  partners, 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 acquired 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).


                                 ###

Contacts:


Dr. Solveigh Mähler                      Dr. Thomas Theuringer
Director Investor Relations              Associate  Director   Public
QIAGEN N.V.                              Relations
[phone]                        QIAGEN GmbH
e-mail:                                  [phone]
[e-mail]              email:
                                         [e-mail]
Albert F. Fleury
Investor Relations North America
QIAGEN N.V.
[phone]
e-mail: [e-mail]