Digene Initiating Direct-to-Consumer Television Advertisements in Two New Metropolitan Areas

Digene Initiating Direct-to-Consumer Television Advertisements in Two New Metropolitan Areas

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Sept. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Digene Corporation (NASDAQ:DIGE) announced today that it is initiating direct-to-consumer (DTC) television advertisements in two new metropolitan areas to educate women about the link between human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer and the availability of a test for HPV. The 30-second TV ads began airing this week in Boston and Chicago and are supplementing the company's ongoing national print DTC campaign. The Digene(R) HPV Test, also known as the DNAwithPap(R) Test, is the only FDA-approved test for high-risk types of HPV, which cause virtually all cases of cervical cancer. The test is approved for use along with the Pap test to screen women age 30 and older, the group most at risk of developing cervical cancer.

"The need for more education of women on cervical cancer and HPV is clear," said Evan Jones, Digene's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Our pilot TV ad campaign in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Atlanta showed that women and physicians respond positively to our educational messages -- often resulting in women asking their doctors about the test and in physicians integrating The Digene HPV Test into their practices. By expanding our campaign into two new markets, we are further facilitating the doctor-patient dialogue."

For more information on HPV and the Digene HPV Test, women are encouraged to call 877-HPV-FACT for a free brochure, or to visit http://www.thehpvtest.com/. Copies of the advertisements are available on both http://www.thehpvtest.com/ and http://www.digene.com/.

About Digene:

Digene Corporation (NASDAQ:DIGE), based in Gaithersburg, MD, develops, manufactures and markets proprietary DNA and RNA testing systems for the screening, monitoring and diagnosis of human diseases -- with a focus on women's cancers and infectious diseases. The company's hc2 High-Risk HPV DNA Test(R) is the only test for human papillomavirus approved by the FDA, and is approved for both follow-up evaluation in women with inconclusive Pap results and for primary adjunctive screening with the Pap test in women age 30 and older. For primary adjunctive screening, it is marketed as both The Digene HPV Test and the DNAwithPap Test. These brand names do not refer to the Digene product that tests for several types of the virus commonly referred to as "low-risk HPV," which are not associated with cervical cancer. For more information, visit http://www.thehpvtest.com/. Digene's product portfolio also includes DNA tests for the detection of other sexually transmitted infections, including chlamydia and gonorrhea, as well as tests for blood viruses. For more information, visit the company's Web site, http://www.digene.com/. Investors also may contact Charles Fleischman at (301) 944-7000; journalists may contact Pam Rasmussen, (301) 944-7196.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of the future, as there are a number of meaningful factors that could cause the company's actual results to vary materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. Meaningful factors that could cause actual results to differ from expectations include, but are not limited to, the degree of acceptance of HPV testing by physicians and the extent of reimbursement for the HPV test by third-party payers, as well as other factors discussed in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. For other factors, reference is made to the discussion in the company's annual and quarterly reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Source: Digene Corporation

CONTACT: Charles M. Fleischman, President of Digene Corporation, +1-301-944-7000; or Investor Relations - Jonathan Birt of Financial Dynamics, +1-212-850-5628, or Media - Pam Rasmussen of Digene, +1-301-944-7196; or Sean Leous of Financial Dynamics, +1-212-850-5755

Web site: http://www.digene.com/ http://www.thehpvtest.com/

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