Meridian Bioscience Completes Acquisition of Recombinant Protein Technologies and...

Meridian Bioscience Completes Acquisition of Recombinant Protein Technologies and Products from Vybion, Inc.

CINCINNATI--(Business Wire)--
Meridian Bioscience, Inc. (NASDAQ: VIVO) today announced it has
completed the purchase of technologies and products including
infectious disease recombinant proteins and cardiac antigens from
Vybion, Inc., highlights include:

-- year 1 revenues of approximately $400,000 with attractive
margins post-integration;

-- purchase price of $653,000 in cash plus future royalties based
on net sales of the acquired products;

-- assets acquired include a portfolio of recombinant viral
proteins and cardiac antigens, customer lists, supply
agreements, patent and technology rights, equipment, and
on-hand inventory;

-- complements Meridian Life Science's existing products
manufactured for the large diagnostic companies as critical
components of commercial diagnostic products;

-- proprietary know-how and technological capabilities that fit
well with and add to Meridian's Life Science business; and

-- expected to be nominally accretive to earnings.

The products acquired from Vybion complement the growing portfolio
of highly specialized biologicals that Meridian manufactures and
distributes to the diagnostic, pharmaceutical, and research markets.
They will be used in the manufacture of tests for the diagnosis of
infectious diseases and in the monitoring of human protein levels in
hepatitis, HIV, HSV, and cardiac disease. This acquisition adds
important technologies and capabilities to Meridian's Life Science
business and will add to Meridian's expanding life science brands,
BIODESIGN, OEM Concepts, Viral Antigens, and Meridian Biologics. The
acquired technologies will add proprietary manufacturing know-how and
access to important patent licenses for the development and production
of recombinant proteins, an emerging technology in life sciences.
Through this acquisition and development of advanced enabling
technologies, Meridian continues to expand its life science business
to support and service researchers, diagnostic test manufacturers, as
well as biopharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

Richard L. Eberly, President, Meridian Life Science, Inc.,
commented, "For many years we have enjoyed a cooperative relationship
with Vybion, Inc. This acquisition is ideal in that it helps Vybion to
focus its development activities while adding key products and
technological capabilities to Meridian Life Science. We are excited
about the addition of these new products to Meridian's portfolio of
highly specialized biologicals, and about acquiring an enabling
technology that allows for the development and manufacture of
recombinant proteins. This acquisition adds key capabilities and
revenues to our life science business. The strategic fit is consistent
with Meridian's goals of expanding its life science business through
internal growth and acquisitions."

Dr. Lee Henderson, Founder and CEO of Vybion, commented, "This is
an excellent opportunity for both Meridian and Vybion. For Vybion, it
means that we can focus and internally fund proprietary activities,
namely moving CoMab, our monoclonal antibody preclinical drug for
cocaine abuse, forward and further commercialize our ProCode Platform
technology."

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a
safe harbor from civil litigation for forward-looking statements
accompanied by meaningful cautionary statements. Except for historical
information, this report contains forward-looking statements which may
be identified by words such as "estimates", "anticipates", "projects",
"plans", "seeks", "may", "will", "expects", "intends", "believes",
"should" and similar expressions or the negative versions thereof and
which also may be identified by their context. Such statements,
whether expressed or implied, are based upon current expectations of
the Company and speak only as of the date made. The Company assumes no
obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements. These
statements are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other
factors that could cause actual results to differ materially,
including, without limitation, the following: Meridian's continued
growth depends, in part, on its ability to introduce into the
marketplace enhancements of existing products or new products that
incorporate technological advances, meet customer requirements and
respond to products developed by Meridian's competition. While
Meridian has introduced a number of internally developed products,
there can be no assurance that it will be successful in the future in
introducing such products on a timely basis. Ongoing consolidations of
reference laboratories and formation of multi-hospital alliances may
cause adverse changes to pricing and distribution. Costs and
difficulties in complying with laws and regulations administered by
the United States Food and Drug Administration can result in
unanticipated expenses and delays and interruptions to the sale of new
and existing products. Changes in the relative strength or weakness of
the U.S. dollar can change expected results. One of Meridian's main
growth strategies is the acquisition of companies and product lines.
There can be no assurance that additional acquisitions will be
consummated or that, if consummated, will be successful and the
acquired businesses successfully integrated into Meridian's
operations. In addition to the factors described in this paragraph,
Part I, Item 1A Risk Factors of our Form 10-K contains a list of
uncertainties and risks that may affect the financial performance of
the Company.

Meridian is a fully integrated life science company that
manufactures, markets and distributes a broad range of innovative
diagnostic test kits, purified reagents and related products and
offers biopharmaceutical enabling technologies. Utilizing a variety of
methods, these products and diagnostic tests provide accuracy,
simplicity and speed in the early diagnosis and treatment of common
medical conditions, such as gastrointestinal, viral and respiratory
infections. Meridian's diagnostic products are used outside of the
human body and require little or no special equipment. The Company's
products are designed to enhance patient well-being while reducing the
total outcome costs of healthcare. Meridian has strong market
positions in the areas of gastrointestinal and upper respiratory
infections, serology, parasitology and fungal disease diagnosis. In
addition, Meridian is a supplier of rare reagents, specialty
biologicals and related technologies used by biopharmaceutical
companies engaged in research for new drugs and vaccines. The Company
markets its products and technologies to hospitals, reference
laboratories, research centers, veterinary testing centers, physician
offices, diagnostics manufacturers and biotech companies in more than
60 countries around the world. The Company's shares are traded through
NASDAQ's Global Select Market, symbol VIVO. Meridian's website address
is www.meridianbioscience.com.

Meridian Bioscience, Inc.
John A. Kraeutler, CEO, 513-271-3700

Copyright Business Wire 2008