QIAGEN Tests Clinically Verified for the Monito...

German Bernhard Nocht Institute and Spanish Reference Laboratory
Unequivocally Detect Infections with the H1N1 Strain Using the artus
                           Influenza Test

Venlo, The Netherlands - April 30,  2009 - Analyses performed by  the
German Bernhard  Nocht Institute  for Tropical  Medicine have  proven
that the influenza A / H1N1 virus can be unequivocally detected using
a screening test developed by  QIAGEN (NASDAQ: QGEN; Frankfurt  Prime
Standard: QIA).  The company's  artus  Influenza LC  RT PCR  Kit  was
successfully used to screen a female  patient who had come down  with
the disease in Mexico and is currently being treated at the Eppendorf
University Hospital in Hamburg, Germany. The patient is currently one
of three confirmed cases of swine  flu in Germany. The results are  a
clinical  verification  of  the   reliability  of  the  QIAGEN   test
demonstrated by the  findings of  a data analysis  published the  day
before.

QIAGEN's artus kit is  considered to be one  of the most widely  used
assays  in  influenza  screening  and  serves  as  standard  for  the
detection of influenza A viruses in numerous laboratories around  the
world. The  test was also used by the Instituto de Salud Carlos  III,
Centro Nacional de  Microbiología in Majadahonda  (Spain), to  screen
for Influenza A infections. Yesterday, the institute verified several
possible infections with  the H1N1  strain that  occurred during  the
last few  days.  The  national  reference  laboratory  advises  other
institutions in Spain seeking support  that the artus influenza Kit
provides maximum reliability for  the first-line screening for  H1N1.
Following this recommendation, some Spanish hospitals yesterday began
to identify possible infections with H1N1 using the artus kit.

"QIAGEN's artus  influenza  test can  be  performed quickly  and  the
results are faultless. This demonstrates the artus test's ability  to
detect infections with the influenza A virus including the  currently
circulating Mexican H1N1 viruses," said Dr Stephan Guenther, Head  of
Virology at the Bernhard Nocht Institute in Hamburg. Screening  tests
enable quick and  reliable verification of  potential infections  and
thus help to contain the spread  of the epidemic. Patients that  have
tested positive for influenza A can  then be treated with one of  the
commonly  available  pharmaceuticals  such  as  Tamiflu  or  Relenza,
according to  the recommendations  given  by the  corresponding  drug
manufacturers.

The infection with the H1N1 strain of influenza A in sample  material
obtained from the  patient treated in  Hamburg was also  successfully
detected using  the company's  second available  screening test,  the
ResPlex II v.2.0  Multiplex Assay. "The  signals obtained during  the
amplification of the corresponding  viral sequence were  unequivocal,
which shows  that this  test is  reliable as  well," said  Dr  Thomas
Grewing, Senior Director Research & Development at QIAGEN.

Regulatory  approval  of  both   products  for  in-vitro   diagnostic
applications has not been sought yet by QIAGEN, but applications  can
be officially  submitted  on  a short-term  basis  depending  on  the
further proliferation of the disease.

Meanwhile, the U.S. FDA regulatory  body has cleared tests  developed
by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that
include QIAGEN test  components. "The CDC  tests use our  consumables
for the extraction of genetic information from samples. One CDC  test
also incorporates our enzymes needed  for the amplification of  viral
sequences to make the information visible," continued Grewing.

QIAGEN offers the broadest portfolio of molecular screening solutions
for viral infectious  diseases. Public health  institutions and  more
than 80 reference  laboratories around  the globe  use the  company's
molecular tests  and  testing  components  for  surveillance  of  and
research on viral infections. QIAGEN is the leading provider of Avian
Flu (H5N1) molecular  detection tools  and also  developed the  first
test for the detection of SARS.

About Swine Flu:
Swine flu  (swine  influenza)  is  a  highly  contagious  respiratory
disease of pigs, caused by one of several swine influenza A  viruses.
Since pigs can be infected with more  than one virus type at a  time,
genes of several viruses from various sources (including humans)  can
mix, allowing  the  swine  influenza viruses  to  cross  the  species
barrier and eventually cause disease in humans. The clinical symptoms
in humans are  similar to  seasonal influenza and  other acute  upper
respiratory  tract  infections,  in  some  cases  leading  to  severe
pneumonia and resulting in death. However, since mild or asymptomatic
cases may have  gone unrecognized,  the true extent  of this  disease
among humans is still unknown.  Currently, there is no human  vaccine
on the market which protects against swine influenza. Antiviral drugs
are available in many countries. More information on the swine flu is
available on www.who.int.

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 3,000 people  in over  30
locations worldwide. Further information about QIAGEN can be found at


http://www.qiagen.com/.

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are  forward-looking  statements,  including  statements  about   our
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fluctuations and logistics),  variability of  our operating  results,
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clinical  and  academic  research,  proteomics,  women's   health/HPV
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fluctuations  in   demand,  regulatory   requirements,   identifying,
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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.

                                 ###


Contacts

Investor                            Media Relations
Relations                           Thomas Theuringer
Solveigh Maehler                    + 49 2103-29-11826
+ 49 2103-29-11710                  E-mail:
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For North America :
Al Fleury                           For North America:
[phone]                     Nicole York
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