VENLO, The Netherlands, Aug. 1 /CNW/ - QIAGEN N.V. (NASDAQ: QGEN;Frankfurt, Prime Standard: QIA), the world's leading provider of pre-analytical sample preparation products enabling genetic and protein analysis,today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the assets related to the bioanalytical business of SuNyx GmbH.

SuNyx has developed and recently initiated marketing of its proprietary MPep and MProtChip(R) platforms for sample preparation of peptide and protein samples for analysis on Liquid Chromatography (LC)-MALDI (Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization) Mass Spectrometry (MS). These products allow examining new dimensions in sample preparation by leveraging unique, nanotechnology-based surface structures.

The combination of the acquisition of the bioanalytical business of SuNyx GmbH with the acquisition of key assets of LCI (announced today in a separate press release) creates a complete, proprietary and technology-leading portfolio for QIAGEN in the rapidly growing market segment of sample preparation of proteins and peptides for analysis using MALDI Mass Spectrometry.

MALDI Mass Spectrometry has become the most important analytical tool in the identification of proteins and evaluation of their role in biological processes in the areas of proteomics, drug discovery, and biomarker identification. A typical LC-MALDI protocol consists of sample purification, enzymatic digestion, separation of peptides by LC and identification of proteins by peptide mass fingerprint. Unfortunately, this approach often has limitations in identification of low abundant proteins, which are of the highest interest.

SuNyx has developed a technology platform which enables researchers to significantly reduce the number of pre-analytical steps and increase sensitivity at the same time by measuring each LC-fraction on a ready-made chip with pre-deposited matrix spots on ultraphobic surfaces. This brings to customers a highly efficient sample preparation tool to analyze proteomes and, in particular, low abundant proteins. The MPep and MProtChip(R) technology provides inherent confinement of defined volumes of sample drops resulting in precise fraction collection from the liquid chromatography run, even under high throughput conditions. This simplifies and standardizes the LC MALDI procedure. The optimized pre-deposited matrix spot leads to an up to 100-fold increased sensitivity due to on-chip pre-concentration effects.

SuNyx's MPep and MProtChip(R) platforms can be used on most major MS instruments suitable for LC-MALDI.

The acquisition of the bioanalytical business of SuNyX expands on a previous licensing arrangement. Subject to the terms of the acquisition agreement, QIAGEN will pay approximately US$0.8 million in cash in exchange for the relevant assets. An additional consideration of approximately US$0.8 million is subject to certain milestones. QIAGEN anticipates that the transaction will add approximately US$1 million in net sales and will have a slightly dilutive impact of approximately US$0.5 million on QIAGEN's net income in 2006 and will be accretive thereafter. QIAGEN expects to provide further details on the acquisitions announced on August 1 in its upcoming conference call reporting the financial results of its second quarter 2005 on August 9, 2005.

"The acquisitions of key assets of LumiCyte and of the bioanalytical assets of SuNyx position QIAGEN as the leading provider for standardized, on-chip sample preparation in the rapidly growing field of MALDI and LC-MALDI Mass Spectrometry for protein analysis," said Peer M. Schatz, QIAGEN's Chief Executive Officer. "SuNyx products are highly complementary to LumiCyte's technology portfolio and complete QIAGEN's solutions for application-specific sample preparation for MALDI-based protein identification and analysis. We are observing an increasing interest in the analysis of low abundant proteins, which seem to play significant roles in cell regulation processes. The ease of use and the nanotechnology-based, on-chip concentration features make SuNyx MALDI chips a perfect pre-analytical tool for high sensitivity LC-MALDI Mass Spectrometry."

"SuNyx has recently developed highly innovative products for use in the field of proteomics with their MPep and MProtChip(R) technology, which clearly addressed customer needs for cost-effective, convenient and reliable sample preparation and analysis tools in the area of MALDI MS," added Michael Lutz, Chief Executive Officer of SuNyx. "Teaming up with QIAGEN, the world's leading provider of enabling technologies for pre-analytical sample preparation in life sciences will allow SuNyx to further grow its technology and explore additional value-adding opportunities."

About QIAGEN:

QIAGEN N.V., a Netherlands holding company with subsidiaries in Germany, the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, France, Italy, Australia, Norway, Austria, Canada, Sweden, and the Netherlands believes it is the world's leading provider of innovative enabling technologies and products for the separation, purification and handling of nucleic acids and proteins.

QIAGEN has developed a comprehensive portfolio of more than 320 proprietary, consumable products for nucleic acid and protein separation, purification and handling, nucleic acid amplification, as well as automated instrumentation, synthetic nucleic acid products and related services. QIAGEN's products are sold in more than 42 countries throughout the world to academic research markets and to leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. In addition, QIAGEN is positioning its products for sale into developing commercial markets, including applied testing markets, clinical research, nucleic acid-based molecular diagnostics, and genetic vaccination and gene therapy. QIAGEN employs more than 1,500 people worldwide. Further information on QIAGEN can be found at www.qiagen.com.

About SuNyx GmbH:

SuNyx is a German-based private company with activities in Bioanalyticsand Optical Coatings based on its proprietary know-how with respect to precise control of material properties using nanoscopic surface structures. The company has developed and launched innovative bioanalytical solutions with the MPep and MProtChip(R) platforms which are delivered to leading pharma, biotech and academic laboratories worldwide.

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 and proteomics markets, nucleic acid-based molecular diagnostics market, and genetic vaccination and gene therapy markets, competition, rapid or unexpected changes in technologies, fluctuations in demand for QIAGEN's, products (including fluctuations for certain events including funding, budgets, and others), 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, market acceptance of QIAGEN's new products and the integration of acquisitions of technologies and businesses. For further information, refer to the discussion in reports that QIAGEN has filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

For further information: Peer M. Schatz, Chief Executive Officer, QIAGEN N.V., e-mail: peer.schatz@QIAGEN.com; Dr. Solveigh Mahler, Director of Investor Relations, QIAGEN N.V., e-mail: solveigh.maehler@QIAGEN.com, Tel IR: +49-2103-2911-710; Dr. Ulrich Schriek, Vice President Corporate Business Development, QIAGEN GmbH, e-mail: ulrich.schriek@QIAGEN.com