Centrex Investigates SARS Detection.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

TULSA, Okla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 22, 2003

Centrex, Inc. (OTCBB:CNEX) today announced that the Company is investigating the potential for its Single Molecule Detection (SMD) technology to detect the presence of the SARS associated coronavirus: SARS Coronavirus Tor2. A team of scientists at Canada's British Columbia Cancer Agency announced the completion of the genetic sequence for the coronavirus believed to be responsible for the new disease called severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Another genetic sequencing team of scientists at the CDC in the United States has unveiled an almost identical version of the complete SARS virus genome. This information should help in the development of more accurate diagnostic tests for this disease. SARS is believed to have originated in China last November and has now spread to more than 19 countries.

The complete genome sequence of this new single strand RNA virus consists of 29,727 nucleotides, placing it well within the typical RNA boundaries for coronaviruses. Members of this viral family tend to have between 29,000 and 31,000 nucleotides. The genetic sequence of SARS Coronavirus Tor2 is deposited under GenBank Accession Number: AY274119, and is accessible on the Internet. It is also available on the CDC Web site. The genome sequence provides further evidence that SARS is caused by a new type of coronavirus, the same type of virus that causes some forms of the common cold. Centrex scientists are optimistic that the genome data might eventually lead to an accurate, specific, rapid and inexpensive diagnostic test for the SARS virus.

Dr. Henry Niman of Harvard Medical School said the new data shows that part of the SARS genome is similar to certain avian viruses. That is consistent with earlier reports that SARS may have spread from birds to humans. "Unfortunately, comparing it (this genetic sequence) to other animal viruses has not given us any real leads," said Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Julie Gerberding. "We can't say it's mouse or pig (or other animal) yet because it's not similar enough (to any animal viruses) to draw those conclusions."

According to Centrex CEO Dr. Thomas R. Coughlin, Jr., "Viruses that emerge as a human disease by spreading from animals to humans are often quickly confined to a very small geographic area because they can't be passed directly from human to human. But SARS has proven to be extremely difficult to control because humans can easily transmit it to each other. When someone with the virus sneezes or coughs and another person inhales infected droplets, or when a person touches something that's been contaminated by a SARS patient, the virus is easily transmitted to that second person. It should be noted that the last major new human to human virus was HIV, and, in some respects (SARS) is worse than HIV as far as being more easily transmitted from human to human. All you have to do is sneeze and someone else gets infected."

Centrex, Inc. is a development stage company that owns the exclusive worldwide license to develop, manufacture and market a system for detecting microbial contamination in air, food and water. The detection system is designed to be adaptable and easily tailored to detect a variety of bacterial or viral organisms by recognizing the unique DNA or RNA fingerprint of the organism. The proposed device is a simultaneous multi-channel detection system that is compact, fully automated and capable of monitoring the presence of biological agents in air, food and water. Potential applications for the Centrex technology include bioterrorism and Homeland Security, food and water processing, blood supply screening, and general DNA/RNA testing.

For more information, visit the Centrex Web site at www.centrexcorporation.com, or call Loren Brown at 407/682-2001.

This press release contains some forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Forward-looking statements in this document should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect our business. Those uncertainties are discussed in the Company's SEC filings.