Bio-Reference Introduces New Lab Procedure to Identify and Detect Early Onset of Prostate Cancer; Bio-Reference Finds Some High-Risk Patients with Normal PSA Results May Be at Risk for Prostate Cancer.

ELMWOOD PARK, N.J. -- Bio-Reference Laboratories, Inc. (NASDAQ: BRLI), www.bioreference.com, the largest independent regional clinical laboratory in the Northeast, today announced that it has introduced a new lab procedure that can identify and detect the early onset of prostrate cancer in some high-risk patients that have had their PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) levels tested more than once within a year's time period. Bio-Reference worked with Harry Fisch, MD, Professor of Clinical Urology at Columbia University Medical Center/New York Presbyterian Hospital, to create an algorithm based on the company's proprietary informatics solutions that is often able to identify repeat patients that demonstrate a rapid rise in their PSA levels within a year, known as "PSA Velocity", even if the subsequent PSA level is still within the normal range (below 4ng/dl).

PSA is a protein produced by the prostate gland and PSA levels are tested via a patient's blood. PSA Velocity may indicate a high probability that a patient has prostate cancer. While the PSA levels may be elevated in benign conditions, such as infections of the prostate (prostatitis) or from prostate enlargement, it may also be elevated in cases of prostate cancer.

"We believe that Bio-Reference's new initiative will provide substantial benefit to its practitioners that routinely run PSA levels on their patients," said Marc Grodman, MD, President, CEO and Chairman of Bio-Reference Laboratories, Inc. "Using our proprietary informatics solutions, our lab is now able to provide better healthcare and service to physicians and patients nationwide."

Dr. Harry Fisch has noted that while PSA levels have been helpful in detecting prostate cancer, their usefulness can be augmented by determining the rate of change over time.

"When PSA levels are in the normal range, below 4ng/dl, we can now better predict which patients are at significant risk of having prostate cancer when we compare PSA levels over the previous year," said Dr. Fisch. "This new PSA Velocity determination adds more specificity and increased accuracy to prostate cancer screening. An increase in PSA Velocity warrants clinical attention and should not be ignored."

When patients are found to have PSA levels greater than 4 ng/dl, they are usually referred to a urologist for subsequent biopsy. However in those patients with levels of 4 ng/dl or lower, a substantial rise in the level may be indicative of cancer. On an on-going basis, Bio-Reference will notify physicians of any identified patients who fall within these high risk groups as well as those patients that fall just below the prescribed cut-off values.

"The goal of an effective healthcare system is to make scientific advances available to everyone. Laboratories are in a prime position to use information technology to advance clinical practice and Bio-Reference, with its emphasis on informatics, through its business units Care Evolve, our connectivity service, and PSIMedica, our data analytics group, is well-positioned to take a leadership role in this process," concluded Dr. Grodman.

ABOUT BIO-REFERENCE LABORATORIES, INC.

Bio-Reference is the largest independent regional clinical laboratory operating in the Northeast with major market positions in physician's offices, nursing homes and clinics. Bio-Reference also maintains specialized focused market offerings that are national in scope. These include GenPath, its cancer and genomics laboratory, and an expanding correctional health program. PSIMedica, a business unit of the Company, is a clinical knowledge management (CKM) organization offering an array of information solutions for reducing healthcare costs and improving quality performance based on claims data, enrollment data, prescription data and laboratory data. The Company also provides a comprehensive connectivity solution to physicians and laboratories nationwide through CareEvolve, its web-based healthcare portal.