AmeriPath, Inc. Announces Appointment of Executive Vice President of Genomic Strategies, and Chief Medical Officer.

Business Editors/Health & Medical Writers

RIVIERA BEACH, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 25, 2001

AmeriPath, Inc. (Nasdaq:PATH), the leading national provider of cancer diagnostics, genomic, and related information services, today announced the appointment of Dennis M. Smith, Jr., M.D. as Executive Vice President of Genomic Strategies and Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Smith previously held the positions of Senior Vice President and Medical Director for AmeriPath and functioned as the Managing Director of its Florida Region.

"This promotion recognizes the significant contribution that Dr. Smith has made to the development of AmeriPath's initiatives in genomics and proteomics. He spearheaded our relationship with Genomics Collaborative, Inc., that has now resulted in the largest and fastest growing repository of snap frozen tissues, nucleic acids, and associated clinical information in the world, and in AmeriPath having access to GCI's genetic markers for the development of diagnostic and prognostic genomic assays," said James C. New, AmeriPath's Chairman and CEO. "He also led the negotiations for our recently announced strategic alliance with Ampersand Medical Corporation (OTCBB:AMPM) that emphasizes our ability to develop and apply proteomics to the detection of cancer in cytology-based systems. This move further emphasizes our commitment to be a major player in the implementation of the Human Genome Project, genomics, and proteomics."

Dr. Smith currently chairs the Board of Trustees of the National Blood Foundation and sits on the Board of Directors of the Florida-Georgia Blood Alliance and Immucor, Inc. He is a member of Vanderbilt University's School of Engineering's Committee of Visitors and of the Medical Advisory Committee of HealthScreen International, Inc. Dr. Smith was previously President of the American Association of Blood Banks and Director and Executive Head of the American Red Cross Blood Services, Nashville Region.

Dr. Smith commented, "I am excited about this tremendous opportunity. AmeriPath occupies a critical niche in the genomic and proteomic arenas. Our highly successful cancer diagnostic and laboratory management business involving some 3.0 million biopsies, 2.5 million cytologic analyses, 224 hospital contracts, and 425 pathologists and doctorate-level scientists provides us with unequaled access to huge numbers of high quality tissues and clinical information. By leveraging these assets with the technology and team of highly specialized physicians and scientists at our Center for Advanced Diagnostics, AmeriPath is uniquely positioned to participate in clinical trials and research and development activities with biopharmaceutical companies and diagnostic manufacturers."

AmeriPath is a leading national provider of cancer diagnostics, genomics, and related information services. In 2000, AmeriPath diagnosed three million tissue biopsies and interpreted 2.5 million Pap smears. The Company's extensive diagnostics infrastructure includes 425 pathologists and doctorate-level scientists, 42 independent pathology laboratories, the Center for Advanced Diagnostics (CAD), and Dermpath Diagnostics. CAD provides specialized diagnostic testing and information services including Fluorescence In-Situ Hybridization (FISH), Flow Cytometry, DNA Analysis, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), Molecular Genetics, Cytogenetics, and HPV Typing. Dermpath Diagnostics, with 67 board-certified dermatopathologists, in the country's leading provider of Dermatopathology services in the growing skin diagnostic testing market. Additionally, AmeriPath provides clinical trial and research and development support to firms involved in developing new cancer and genomic diagnostic and therapeutics.

Additional information regarding AmeriPath is available on the Internet at www.ameripath.com.

The statements contained in this press release may include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are based on management's current beliefs and expectations. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. In addition, forward-looking statements - which are identified by words such as "may", "should", "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate" and similar expressions - as well as any financial and operating estimates, forecasts and/or projections, are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances which are beyond the Company's ability to control. These factors, risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results or those expected, estimated or anticipated. These include factors, risks and uncertainties relating to general economic conditions; competition and changes in competitive factors; the extent of success of the Company's operating initiatives and growth strategies, federal and state healthcare regulation (and compliance); reimbursement rates under government-sponsored and third party healthcare programs and the payments received under such programs; changes in coding; changes in technology; dependence upon pathologists and contracts; the ability to attract, motivate, and retain pathologists; labor and technology costs; marketing and promotional efforts; the availability of pathology practices in appropriate locations that the Company is able to acquire on suitable terms or develop; the successful completion and integration of acquisitions (and achievement of planned or expected synergies); access to sufficient amounts of capital on satisfactory terms; and tax laws. The forward looking statements included in this press release are made as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such statements, whether as result of new developments, new information or otherwise. Further information regarding risks, uncertainties and other factors that could affect the Company's financial or operating results, or which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected, estimated or anticipated, are included in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000 and subsequent filings with the SEC.

Editor's Note: This release is also available at http://www.ameripath.com