Advantages of ThinPrep Pap Test Presented At National Scientific Meeting.

Business Editors and Health/Medical Writers

BOXBOROUGH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 14, 2000

Several studies describing the clinical performance of Cytyc Corporation's (Nasdaq:CYTC) ThinPrep(R) Pap Test(TM) were presented at the 48th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Society of Cytopathology last week in Philadelphia. The studies demonstrated a wide range of benefits, including increased detection of biopsy-confirmed cervical disease, improved sensitivity and specificity for glandular neoplasia, and the viability of adjunctive testing for human papillomavirus (HPV) directly from the ThinPrep Pap Test vial.

A study by Limaye et al., from the Department of Anatomic Pathology, Quest Diagnostics, Teterboro, N.J., evaluated the performance of the ThinPrep Pap Test compared to conventional Pap smears for the detection of squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL). The data included results from more than 160,000 ThinPrep Pap Tests and nearly 2 million conventional smears. The authors found that the ThinPrep Pap Test yielded a statistically significant increase in the detection of disease and a more than 50 percent decrease in the laboratory false negative proportion.

Another study presented at the meeting described the performance of the ThinPrep Pap Test for the detection of glandular lesions of the cervix. Raheela Ashfaq, M.D., from the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, presented data on more than 100,000 ThinPrep Pap Tests compared to more than 40,000 historic conventional controls. The ThinPrep Pap Test demonstrated significantly higher sensitivity for detection of glandular lesions. A recently published study has reported an increase in glandular cervical lesions in the United States attributed in part to the limitations of the conventional Pap smear for the detection of these lesions.

A number of studies presented at the meeting, including data from the NIH-sponsored ALTS Trial, reported on the viability and benefits of HPV testing directly from the ThinPrep Pap Test PreservCyt(R) collection vial.

"The volume and breadth of the clinical evidence clearly demonstrates the significant advantages of the ThinPrep Pap Test for the detection of a range of cervical abnormalities in a variety of patient populations as well as the added benefit of adjunctive testing," said James Linder, M.D., Cytyc's medical director.

Cytyc Corporation develops, manufactures, and markets the ThinPrep(R) System for medical diagnostic applications. The ThinPrep System consists of the ThinPrep(R) 2000 Processor, ThinPrep(R) 3000 Processor, and related reagents, filters, and other supplies.

Cytyc(R), ThinPrep(R), and PreservCyt(R) are registered trademarks and ThinPrep(R) Pap Test(TM) is a trademark of Cytyc Corporation.

Forward-looking statements in this press release are made pursuant to the provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Investors are cautioned that statements in this press release which are not strictly historical statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding management's plans and objectives for future operations, product plans and performance, potential savings to the healthcare system, management's assessment of market factors, as well as statements regarding the strategy and plans of the Company, constitute forward-looking statements which involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ, including, without limitation, risks associated with the Company's dependence on a single product, uncertainty of market acceptance and additional cost, dependence on proprietary technology, dependence on timely and adequate levels of third-party reimbursement, dependence on key personnel, management of growth, limited marketing and sales experience, and limited number of customers and lengthy sales cycle, as well as risks of downturns in economic conditions generally, and in the healthcare industry specifically, risks associated with competition and competitive pricing pressures, potential liabilities and costs associated with litigation, and other risks detailed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in its 1999 Form 10-K filed with the Commission.