European Firm May Build New North American Research And Manufacturing Headquarters Here

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CONTACT: Jeanne Adams or Dee Metz,
MC Department of Economic Development
240-777-2000

Jacqueline Lampell or Walinda West
Department of Business & Economic Development
410-767-6319

Mike Morrill or Michelle Byrnie
Governor's Press Office
410-974-2316

For Immediate Release: November 19, 1999

EUROPEAN FIRM MAY BUILD NEW NORTH AMERICAN
RESEARCH AND MANUFACTURING HEADQUARTERS HERE

Annapolis, MD (November 18, 1999) - QIAGEN, N.V., the multinational biotechnology firm, today announced that it has selected a Montgomery County site as a finalist for its new North American research and manufacturing headquarters. The company said it is interested in a site in Germantown.

"QIAGEN's decision to consider a Montgomery County location for its North American research and manufacturing headquarters is tremendous, and we will do whatever we can to help them make their home in Germantown a reality," said County Executive Douglas M. Duncan. "Should QIAGEN choose Montgomery County, we would add a unique and dynamic international bioscience leader to Montgomery County's impressive neighborhood of innovative technology companies."

"As one of the top three biotechnology hubs in the nation, Maryland is a prime location for QIAGEN," said Governor Parris N. Glendening, who met with officials from the company earlier this year. "Maryland offers unique assets for the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, including world acclaimed biotech companies, research institutes such as the National Institutes of Health, and a highly skilled workforce meeting the needs of the industry. We will work with Montgomery County to help QIAGEN make its corporate home in the heart of the county's rapidly growing biotechnology corridor."

Lt. Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend agrees. "This is an exciting opportunity for Maryland," said Lt. Governor Townsend, chair of the Cabinet Council on Business and Economic Development. "QIAGEN recognizes that Maryland is a national center for the biotech industry and we will work hard to make them a part of it."

State and county officials are working closely with QIAGEN officials as they conclude their analysis of the County. The 18-acre site being considered by QIAGEN in Germantown contains land in two different zoning categories: an industrial zone that easily allows manufacturing and an office zone that allows limited manufacturing in conjunction with research and development use. The County Executive has requested an amendment to the zoning text, which would give the company more flexibility in locating its proposed campus style series of buildings.

"We were impressed by the level of cooperation that QIAGEN received from Maryland and Montgomery County," said Michael W. Burgett, QIAGEN's Vice President, North American Operations. "This is a significant project for QIAGEN. The planned facilities will include a major manufacturing plant which will give additional capacity for the needs of our largest market, the United States. The project includes a plan for a large research facility, providing state-of-the-art research environments for as many as 200 scientists when the facility opens in 2002. This project is an integral component of QIAGEN's long-term expansion plans."

QIAGEN N.V., a Netherlands holding company, has subsidiaries in Germany, the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, France, Australia and Canada. QIAGEN Inc., the United States subsidiary, was established in 1989 and employs more than 200 people at it offices in California. QIAGEN N.V. employs approximately 860 people worldwide. QIAGEN produces technologies and products for the separation, purification and handling of nucleic acids.

QIAGEN's products are sold in more than 42 countries throughout the world to academic research markets and also to leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. QIAGEN N.V. is a publicly traded company: Nasdaq: QGENF and Neuer Markt: QIA. For more information about the company, contact Peer M. Schatz, Chief Financial Officer, QIAGEN N.V. at 011 49 2103 892 702 or Amy D. Martini, Noonan/Russo Communications, Inc at (212) 696-4455.

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