QIAGEN Reports Strong Third Quarter 2008 Results

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  * 31% Revenue Growth, 14% Organic Growth
  * 53% Adjusted Operating Income Growth
  * $0.21 Adjusted EPS


Venlo, The  Netherlands, November  10, 2008  - QIAGEN  N.V.  (Nasdaq:
QGEN; Frankfurt, Prime Standard: QIA) today announced the results  of
operations for  the third  quarter and  the nine-month  period  ended
September 30, 2008.

The reported  net  sales for  the  third quarter  2008  and  adjusted
earnings per share exceeded the  guidance provided by the Company  on
August 5, 2008.

Third Quarter and Nine-Month Period 2008 Results

The Company  reported  that  consolidated net  sales  for  its  third
quarter 2008 increased 31% to $230.8 million from $176.6 million  for
the same quarter in 2007. In  the three month period ended  September
30, 2008, the Company reported  operating income of $38.2 million  as
compared to an operating loss of $1.7 million in the third quarter of
2007, and reported net income for the third quarter of 2008 of  $20.8
million, as  compared to  a net  loss  of $7.3  million in  the  same
quarter of 2007.  Diluted earnings  per share for  the third  quarter
increased to $0.10 in 2008 from a loss of $0.04 per share in the same
quarter of 2007.

On an adjusted basis, third quarter operating income increased 53% to
$66.8 million  in 2008  from  $43.7 million  in 2007,  third  quarter
adjusted net income increased 36% to $42.4 million in 2008 from $31.1
million in 2007 and third quarter adjusted diluted earnings per share
increased to $0.21 in 2008 from $0.17 in 2007.

QIAGEN's third quarter 2007 results include the results of operations
of Digene Corporation  and eGene,  Inc., which were  acquired end  of
July 2007, as well as certain charges related to these  acquisitions.
QIAGEN's third quarter 2008 results include the results of operations
of Corbett Life Science, which was acquired in July 2008, and  Digene
Corporation and eGene,  Inc. as  well as certain  charges related  to
these acquisitions.


QIAGEN's Third Quarter 2008
in US$ millions, except per share information Q3 2008 Q3 2007 Growth
Net sales                                       230.8   176.6    31%
Operating income, adj.[1]                        66.8    43.7    53%
Net income, adj.[2]                              42.4    31.1    36%
EPS, adj.[2] (US$)                               0.21    0.17    24%



[1] excluding  acquisition,  integration  and  restructuring  related
charges as well as
  amortization of acquired intangibles and equity-based  compensation
(SFAS 123R).
[2] excluding  acquisition,  integration  and  restructuring  related
charges as well as
  amortization of acquired intangibles and equity-based  compensation
(SFAS 123R) and
    including   a   tax   benefit    of   $0.02   in   EPS   in    Q3
2007.


For the  nine-month  period  ended  September  30,  2008,  net  sales
increased 49% to  $655.8 million  compared to $439.6  million in  the
same period of 2007. Operating income as reported for the nine months
ended September 30, 2008 increased  81% to $105.2 million from  $58.1
million for the  same period  in 2007,  net income  increased 83%  to
$64.3 million from  $35.1 million  in the  same period  of 2007,  and
diluted earnings per share increased to  $0.31 in 2008 from $0.21  in
the same period of 2007.

On an  adjusted basis,  operating income  for the  nine-month  period
ended September 30, 2008 increased 65% to $186.1 million in 2008 from
$112.5 million  in 2007,  and adjusted  net income  increased 51%  to
$119.6 million  from $79.4  million.  Adjusted diluted  earnings  per
share in the nine  months ended September 30,  2008 increased 21%  to
$0.58 per share from $0.48 per share in the same period of 2007.

QIAGEN has  regularly reported  adjusted results  to give  additional
insight into its financial performance as well as considered  results
on a constant currencies basis. Adjusted results should be considered
in addition  to  the reported  results  prepared in  accordance  with
generally  accepted  accounting   principles,  but   should  not   be
considered a substitute. The Company believes certain items should be
excluded from adjusted results  when they are  either outside of  our
ongoing core  operations or  can vary  significantly from  period  to
period, which affects the comparability of results with the Company's
competitors and our  own prior  periods. Costs  and charges  excluded
from  adjusted   results   include  acquisition,   integration,   and
restructuring-related costs,  acquisition-related  amortization,  and
equity based compensation in  accordance with Statement of  Financial
Accounting Standards No. 123 (Revised) (SFAS 123R).


QIAGEN's Adjustments to Gross Profit,
Operating Income, Net Income and EPS
in US$ millions
unless indicated        Q3 2008     Q3 2007     9M 2008     9M 2007

Gross profit,               152.9       116.2       442.2       294.8
reported
Acquisition and               0.4         1.4         0.4         1.4
integration related
charges
Amortization of              12.8         8.4        35.5        12.2
acquired intangibles
SFAS 123R impact              0.2           -         0.8           -
Gross profit,               166.3       126.0       478.9       308.4
adjusted

Operating income             38.2       (1.7)       105.2        58.1
(loss), reported
Acquisition and               8.9         5.9        27.1         7.9
integration related
charges (incl. COS)
Purchased in-process          0.8        25.9         0.8        25.9
research &
development
Amortization of              16.8        11.4        46.0        16.6
acquired intangibles
(incl. COS)
Relocation and                0.2           -         0.7         0.5
restructuring charges
SFAS 123R impact              1.9         2.2         6.3         3.5
(incl. COS)
Operating income,            66.8        43.7       186.1       112.5
adjusted

Net income (loss),           20.8       (7.3)        64.3        35.1
reported
Acquisition and               6.0         3.8        17.6         5.1
integration related
charges
Purchased in-process          0.8        25.9         0.8        25.9
research &
development
Relocation and                0.1           -         0.5         0.4
restructuring charges
Acquisition related
impairment                    2.5           -         2.5           -
Amortization of              10.9         7.3        29.7        10.7
acquired intangibles
SFAS 123R impact              1.3         1.4         4.2         2.2
Net income, adjusted         42.4        31.1       119.6        79.4

Weighted average      204,600,000 185,481,000 204,999,000 166,193,000
number of diluted
common shares
EPS, reported in             0.10      (0.04)        0.31        0.21
US$[1]
EPS, adjusted in US$         0.21        0.17        0.58        0.48



[1] Dilutive  shares  are not  considered  in the  Q3  2007  reported
diluted   loss    per    share    as   those    shares    would    be
antidilutive.
Basic shares for Q3 2007 were 177,919,000.

"QIAGEN experienced a successful and strong third quarter 2008," said
Peer Schatz, QIAGEN's  Chief Executive Officer.  "We saw  significant
revenue, operating margin  and net income  growth which exceeded  our
guidance.  We  continued  to  expand  our  leadership  and  strategic
position. Our growth  is significantly driven  by innovation. In  the
third quarter 2008 alone, we launched 23 new products in the area  of
sample and assay technologies  with now even 5%  of sales once  again
achieved record  sales  from products  launched  within the  last  12
months."

"We saw strong demand across all of our customer segments and  expect
this trend to continue. Sales  to customers in molecular  diagnostics
(approximately 45% of  our sales)  showed a  very strong  performance
during the third quarter with a growth rate of approximately 38% over
the comparable quarter 2007,"  Schatz added. "Growth was  experienced
across the board for  our products in this  area - platforms,  sample
and assay  technologies.  In  terms  of  assay  areas,  our  genetic,
infectious disease and women's health assays showed especially strong
performances.  Within  the  women's  health  assay  portfolio,  which
represents  about  half  of  our  sales  into  molecular  diagnostics
customers,  the  successful  introduction  of  our  novel   marketing
programs  in  the  areas  of  channel  management,  segmentation  and
messaging had very strong resonance  - in particular in HPV  testing,
where we recorded an organic growth rate of approximately 20%."

"We are also  very pleased  with the  launch of  our new  QIAsymphony
platform, which  was launched  in June  of this  year and  which  has
introduced  a  new  dimension  of  molecular  processing  power.  Our
pipeline is  very strong  for this  new, modular,  random access  and
continuous load platform.  We are  also very excited  about our  most
recent acquisition of an assay detection platform: the Pyrosequencing
technology which we added through  the acquisition of the  BioSystems
business from Biotage  this October," Peer  Schatz continued.   "This
transaction added a fundamental assay technology for  high-resolution
sequence detection  and  quantification  of gene  variations  and  we
believe it will play a very important role in epigenetics as well  as
multiplex genetic and  pathogen detection. Our  molecular 'sample  to
result' solutions  for customers  in molecular  diagnostics,  applied
testing, pharma and academic  research now span  qualitative/endpoint
PCR, multiplex  technologies, capillary  electrophoresis as  well  as
quantitative and high resolution sequence-based analysis and cover  a
broad range of throughput needs."

"We are  very pleased  with our  financial performance  in the  third
quarter of 2008.  Both reported  revenues and  adjusted earnings  per
share exceeded  our expectations.  We experienced  a strong  adjusted
operating margin  increase to  29% in  the third  quarter 2008  which
corresponds to a growth rate of 53% year over year reflecting further
achievements of cost synergies following the acquisition of  Digene,"
said Roland Sackers, QIAGEN's Chief Financial Officer.

"Revenue growth for  the third quarter  was 31% and  was fueled by  a
strong organic growth of  14% and a positive  contribution of 13%  at
constant currencies  from  acquisitions," Roland  Sackers  continued.
"The demand  for all  our  consumable products  as  well as  for  our
instrumentation business remained strong during the entire quarter up
to the very last day  without any sign of  slow down. Our sample  and
assay portfolio  contributed 26%  growth  (23% at  constant  exchange
rates) driven  by strong  growth in  molecular diagnostics.  QIAGEN's
instrumentation business recorded  a very strong  growth rate of  88%
(83% at  constant  exchange  rates)  based  on  the  new  instruments
(QIAsymphonySP and QIAxcel) as well as a strong demand for Rotor-Gene
real-time PCR cycler  and the  CAS instrument  following the  Corbett
acquisition. Net sales  in the  Americas for the  third quarter  2008
represented 51% of our overall business and recorded a growth rate of
28% while European sales, which represent 34% of our revenues, showed
a growth rate of 21% (14%  at constant exchange rates). Net sales  in
Asia remained strong, showing a growth  rate of 27% (20% at  constant
exchange rates)."


Update on Guidance for Fiscal 2008

Based on  the  first  nine  months and  reflecting  the  dilution  of
approximately $0.01 to  adjusted earnings  per share  related to  the
acquisition of the BioSystem business  from Biotage in October  2008,
QIAGEN increased its guidance for adjusted earnings per share for the
full year 2008 from adjusted $0.78 - $0.79 to $0.79 - $0.80.



QIAGEN's Third Quarter 2008 at Constant Currencies

                           2008     2008     2007     Growth Rates
As percentage               Q3       Q3       Q3
of net sales,                     Constant                   Constant
unless indicated         Reported Currency Reported Reported Currency

Consumables                   86%      86%      89%      26%      23%
Instruments                   13%      13%       9%      88%      83%
Others                         1%       1%       2%     -55%     -57%
Total revenues               100%     100%     100%      31%      27%

Gross margin                  66%      65%      66%      32%      26%
Gross margin, adj.[1]         72%      71%      71%      32%      27%

Operating income margin       17%      16%      -1%      n/a      n/a
Operating income margin,
adj.[1]                       29%      29%      25%      53%      47%

Net income margin              9%       8%      -4%      n/a      n/a
Net income margin,
adj.[2]                       18%      18%      18%      36%      30%

EPS in US$ per share         0.10     0.09    -0.04      n/a      n/a
EPS in US$ per share,
adj.[2]                      0.21     0.20     0.17      24%      18%



[1] excluding  acquisition,  integration  and  restructuring  related
charges as well as
amortization of  acquired intangibles  and equity-based  compensation
(SFAS 123R).
[2] excluding  acquisition,  integration  and  restructuring  related
charges as well as
amortization of  acquired intangibles  and equity-based  compensation
(SFAS 123R) and
including a tax benefit of $0.02 in EPS in Q3 2007.


Detailed information on QIAGEN's  business and financial  performance
will be presented  in its  conference call  on November  11, 2008  at
9:30am ET. The  corresponding presentation slides  will be  available
for       download        on        QIAGEN's        website        at
www.qiagen.com/goto/ConferenceCall. A webcast of the conference  call
will     be     available     on     the     same     website      at
www.qiagen.com/goto/ConferenceCall.


QIAGEN - Sample and Assay Technologies Highlights:

* QIAGEN acquired BioSystems business from Biotage a publicly listed
  developer, manufacturer and distributor of products for genetic
  analysis and medicinal chemistry headquartered in Uppsala, Sweden.
  The BioSystems unit of Biotage is best known for having pioneered
  Pyrosequencing®, which has become a fundamental technology in
  next-generation sequencing. Pyrosequencing is a patented assay
  technology that in special formats can achieve significantly longer
  runs and can be employed in a massively parallel design to address
  the needs for applications such as high volume data generation in
  whole genome sequencing applications. In its widely used standard
  format this technology provides the opportunity to read
  DNA-sequences up to 100 base pairs in real time and at a price per
  read in the single dollar range. The technology offers significant
  value for applications including Epigenetics in research and
  molecular diagnostics as well as in Multiplex analyses in genetic
  and pathogen detection.

* QIAGEN introduced the first molecular diagnostic test based on
  Pyrosequencing for the detection of mutations in the K-ras gene
  which is associated with the development of colon cancer. QIAGEN
  expects to launch this test as a CE-labeled version for Europe and
  in the US very shortly.

* QIAGEN launched 23 new products in the area of sample & assay
  technologies including a series of innovative products for
  analyzing genetic differences and micro RNA (miRNA) analysis. In
  addition, QIAGEN launched a number of assay technologies including
  a CE-marked test for the detection and quantification of Malaria
  (P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale and P. malariae), the next
  generation of multiplex detection of respiratory viral targets
  (ResPlex II Panel v 2.0) and a molecular diagnostic assay in the EU
  to type the HLA-B*5701 allele, a genetic variation in the Human
  Leucocyte Antigen (HLA) system, causing adverse reactions in AIDS
  patients.

* QIAGEN and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) announced a
  collaboration to develop new molecular testing solutions to improve
  the safety of food products. QIAGEN will equip the joint
  "CAS/SIBS-QIAGEN Laboratory for Food Safety" with instruments and
  consumables while CAS will provide the physical space and
  researchers. Under this collaboration, food safety experts from the
  INS will use QIAGEN technologies, to develop a wide range of
  molecular tests for the detection of food-borne pathogens. These
  QIAplex multiplex assays allow the design of highly sensitive
  molecular tests for up to 50 different pathogens in one single run.


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  only
FDA-approved test for human  papillomavirus (HPV), the primary  cause
of cervical cancer. QIAGEN employs more than 2,900 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 general economic conditions, 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).


                                 ###

                             QIAGEN N.V.
             CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
                             (unaudited)


                                                      Three month
(in thousands, except per share data)             ended September 30,
                                                    2008      2007
Net sales                                         $ 230,800 $ 176,632
Cost of sales                                        64,688    50,695
Cost of sales - acquisition related                     396     1,343
Cost of sales - acquisition related intangible
amortization                                         12,777     8,406
Gross profit                                        152,939   116,188

Operating expenses:
Research and development                             24,073    17,870
Sales and marketing                                  55,972    45,162
General and administrative                           21,142    21,470
Purchased in-process research and development           830    25,900
Acquisition, integration and related costs            8,554     4,546
Acquisition related intangible amortization           4,018     2,951
Relocation and restructuring costs                      172         -
Total operating expenses                            114,761   117,899

Income (loss) from operations                        38,178   (1,711)

Other income (expense):

Interest income                                       2,095     5,414
Interest (expense)                                  (9,194)  (10,742)
Acquisition triggered impairment of cost method
investment                                          (4,000)         -
Other income, net                                       767     1,084
Total other (expense)                              (10,332)   (4,244)

Income (loss) before provision for income taxes
and
minority interest                                    27,846   (5,955)
Provision for income taxes                            6,679     1,380
Minority interest (income) loss                         376       (7)
Net income (loss)                                  $ 20,791 $ (7,328)

Weighted average number of diluted common shares    204,600   185,451

Diluted net income (loss) per common share[1]        $ 0.10  $ (0.04)

Diluted net income per common share
excluding acquisition, integration and
restructuring related
charges as well as amortization of acquired
intangibles and
equity-based compensation (SFAS 123R)                $ 0.21    $ 0.17



[1]Dilutive shares are not considered in the Q3 2007 reported diluted
loss per share as those shares would be antidilutive.
Basic shares for Q3 2007 were 177,919.



                             QIAGEN N.V.
             CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
                             (unaudited)




                                          Nine months
(in thousands, except
per share data)                       ended September 30,

                                  2008                  2007
Net sales                   $      655,794       $      439,550
Cost of sales                       177,607              131,201
Cost of sales -
acquisition related                       396               1,343
Cost of sales -
acquisition related
intangible amortization               35,552               12,256
Gross profit                        442,239              294,750

Operating expenses:
Research and development              69,281               42,091
Sales and marketing                 167,746              108,460
General and
administrative                        61,345               48,760
Purchased in-process
research and development                  830              25,900
Acquisition, integration
and related costs                     26,621                 6,582
Acquisition related
intangible amortization               10,484                 4,357
Relocation and
restructuring costs                       706                  478
Total operating expenses            337,013              236,628

Income from operations              105,226                58,122

Other income (expense):
Interest income                         7,391              15,840
Interest (expense)                   (28,832)             (20,356)
Acquisition triggered
impairment of cost
method investment          (4,000)                                -
Other income, net                       3,328                1,965
Total other (expense)                (22,113)               (2,551)

Income before provision
for income
taxes and minority
interest                              83,113               55,571
Provision for income
taxes                                 18,272               20,456
Minority interest
(income) loss                             491                     (7)
Net income                  $        64,350      $        35,122


Weighted average number
of diluted common shares            204,999              166,193

Diluted net income per
common share                $            0.31    $            0.21

Diluted net income per
common share
excluding acquisition,
integration and
restructuring related
charges as well as
amortization of acquired
intangibles and
equity-based
compensation (SFAS 123R)    $            0.58   $            0.48



                             QIAGEN N.V.
                CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS


                               September 30,
                                    2008             December 31,
(in thousands, except per                                2007
share data)
Assets                          (unaudited)

Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents
                             $      326,034       $      347,320
Marketable securities
                                               -             2,313
Notes receivable
                                        3,271                5,139
Accounts receivable, net
                                     151,820              136,707
Income taxes receivable
                                       30,095              10,696
Inventories
                                     113,733               88,346
Deferred income taxes
                                       44,357              23,732
Prepaid expenses and other
                                       38,746              33,693
Total current assets
                                     708,056              647,946

Long-Term Assets:

Property, plant and
equipment, net
                                     284,216              283,491
Goodwill
                                  1,134,327            1,107,882
Intangible assets, net
                                     633,173              639,107
Deferred income taxes
                                       77,826              72,128
Other assets
                                       35,278              24,620
Total long-term assets
                                  2,164,820            2,127,228

Total assets
                             $   2,872,876        $   2,775,174

Liabilities and
Shareholders' Equity


Current Liabilities:

Short-term loans
                             $                 -  $                4
Current portion of
long-term debt
                                       25,000                       -
Current portion of capital
lease obligations
                                        3,011                2,769
Accounts payable
                                       41,158              40,379
Accrued and other
liabilities
                                     110,421              104,220
Income taxes payable
                                       27,453              13,456
Deferred income taxes
                                        7,862                4,903
Total current liabilities
                                     214,905              165,731

Long-Term Liabilities:

Long-term debt, net of
current portion
                                     925,000              950,000
Capital lease obligations,
net of current portion
                                       30,593              33,017
Deferred income taxes
                                     237,110              225,893
Other
                                        7,132                8,405
Total long-term liabilities
                                  1,199,835            1,217,315

Minority interest in
consolidated subsidiaries
                                           376                  553

Shareholders' Equity:

Common shares, EUR .01 par
value:

Authorized--410,000 shares

Issued and
outstanding--197,283 shares
in 2008 and 195,335 shares
in 2007
                                        2,205                2,175
Additional paid-in-capital
                                     955,769              925,597
Retained earnings
                                     453,129              388,779
Accumulated other
comprehensive income
                                       46,657              75,024
Total shareholders' equity
                                  1,457,760            1,391,575

Total liabilities and
shareholders' equity
                             $   2,872,876        $   2,775,174



Contacts:


Roland Sackers                            Dr. Solveigh Mähler
Chief Financial Officer                   Director Investor Relations
QIAGEN N.V.                               QIAGEN N.V.
e-mail:                                   [phone]
[e-mail]                 e-mail:
                                          [e-mail]

                                          Albert F. Fleury
                                          Director Corporate Finance
                                          and
                                          Investor Relations North
                                          America
                                          QIAGEN Gaithersburg, Inc.
                                          [phone]
                                          e-mail:
                                          [e-mail]


 
--- End of Message ---

Qiagen N.V.
Spoorstraat 50 KJ Venlo Netherlands

WKN: 901626; ISIN: 
NL0000240000; Index: HDAX, MIDCAP, Prime All Share, TECH All Share, 
TecDAX;
Listed: Prime Standard in Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse, Freiverkehr in 
Börse Berlin, 
Freiverkehr in Börse Düsseldorf, Freiverkehr in Hanseatische 
Wertpapierbörse zu Hamburg, 
Freiverkehr in Niedersächsische Börse zu Hannover, Freiverkehr in 
Bayerische Börse München, 
Freiverkehr in Börse Stuttgart;