Ending Cervical Cancer Featured at Summit; QIAGEN CEO Issues a Call to Global Women Leaders

Hanoi, Vietnam (ots/PRNewswire) - QIAGEN was featured this
week for its efforts to eliminate cervical cancer at the 14th annual
Global Summit of Women in Hanoi, Vietnam. CEO Peer Schatz came to
this prominent international platform to issue a call to other
leaders in business, NGOs and governments to join him and campaign to
create a cervical-cancer-free world.

"Nearly 500,000 women around the world are diagnosed with
cervical cancer every year - a shocking number considering that it's
a highly preventable disease," Mr. Schatz told ministers from more
than 60 countries at a roundtable on the opening day. "However,
QIAGEN and partners such as the summit's Global Consortium of Women
to End Cervical Cancer are showing that where there is a will there
is a way. I urge you to join us. The tools are there; they just need
desire and commitment to put them to work."

The Global Summit of Women annually brings together more than
1,000 senior-level women in business, government and advocacy, and is
often called the "Davos for Women." It celebrates women's leadership
by bringing together business and governmental professionals to work
together to improve the economic power and well-being of females
throughout the world. At last year's summit, President Irene
Natividad announced the launch of an international "consortium to end
cervical cancer." The consortium "aims to educate women about
cervical cancer prevention and encouraging governments to provide
easy access to the latest methods of prevention and detection,
including HPV testing and vaccination." Human papillomavirus (HPV) is
the primary cause of cervical cancer, and QIAGEN has developed the
only FDA- and EU-approved test for high-risk types of the virus.

"We are delighted to have corporate leaders such as QIAGEN
partner with us. Together we can leave the legacy of a
cervical-cancer-free world to the next generations of women," said Ms
Natividad. "We have made huge strides with women's empowerment. Yet,
too often, an obstacle prevents millions of women from living
healthy, productive lives: cancer. Cervical cancer kills more than a
quarter million women each year, and nearly all of these deaths are
preventable. New vaccines and a highly accurate test for HPV have the
power to eliminate this devastating disease. But we need help in
assuring access to these medical advances for all women, and we
welcome QIAGEN's commitment and leadership."

In addition to its digene HPV Test, which QIAGEN distributes
widely in the United States, Europe and elsewhere, the company is
partnering with the non-profit organization PATH to develop a
specially designed version of the screening test for low-resource
countries. This new test is sensitive enough to identify the largest
number of women at risk - a critical characteristic when a woman may
be able to get to a medical clinic just once or twice in her
lifetime. Yet at the same time, the new HPV test can be run without
electricity or running water, and can be administered by workers with
minimal training.

"Public-private partnerships are essential to advancing the
health agenda for women, and QIAGEN is committed to leading the way,"
Mr. Schatz told the audience at a panel discussion on corporate
social responsibility at the summit. "We look forward to working in
tandem with the many partners we have found at this summit and
elsewhere."

About HPV and cervical cancer (http://www.theHPVtest.com)

Worldwide, cervical cancer affects nearly 500,000 women annually
and, after breast cancer, is the second most common malignancy found
in women. Cervical cancer is caused by "high-risk" types of the human
papillomavirus (HPV), which are sexually transmitted. It's estimated
that 80 percent of women will get an HPV infection at some point in
their lives. However, in most cases, the infection goes away or is
suppressed by the body without causing problems. It is only
infections that persist that can cause abnormal cells to form that
may develop into cervical cancer if not detected and treated early.
One report from the World Health Organization estimates that only
about 5 percent of women had been screened for cervical disease in
the previous five years, compared to 40-50 percent in the developed
world.

About QIAGEN (http://www.qiagen.com)

QIAGEN NV, headquartered in the Netherlands, 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, and assays make these isolated
molecules visible to facilitate such vital activities as biological
research and detection of disease. QIAGEN has developed and markets
more than 500 products as well as instruments that make their use
more efficient and accurate. 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, including the only FDA-approved test for human
papillomavirus (HPV), the primary cause of cervical cancer. QIAGEN
employs more than 2,600 people in over 30 locations worldwide.

ots Originaltext: QIAGEN NV
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
Pam Rasmussen QIAGEN +1-240-686-7616 Pamela.Rasmussen@qiagen.com; Dr.
Thomas Theuringer QIAGEN +49-2103-29-1826
Thomas.Theuringer@qiagen.com