Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Achieves Newborn Screening Mandate with Luminex Technology.

Implementation of xTAG(TM) Cystic Fibrosis Kit Completes Two-Year Effort to Identify 28 Genetic Diseases in Children More Quickly

OTTAWA & AUSTIN, Texas -- The Ontario Newborn Screening Program, located at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), has accomplished the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care's mandate to screen all babies born in Ontario for 28 different rare genetic disorders. CHEO achieved this milestone on April 9, 2008 when it began offering genetic testing for Cystic Fibrosis (CF) using the xTAG[TM] Cystic Fibrosis Kit developed by Luminex Corporation (NASDAQ: LMNX).

From 1978 through 2005, newborn screening in Ontario was virtually unchanged. In November 2005, the Ministry announced that it would be expanding newborn screening in the province and centralizing testing at CHEO in Ottawa. The Ontario Newborn Screening Program (ONSP) at CHEO was designed to ensure that all babies born in Ontario have access - from day one - to the most accurate and effective healthcare possible. As part of the program, blood samples from all babies born in Ontario are sent to the ONSP and screened for metabolic and genetic disorders including sickle cell anemia, congenital adrenal hyperplasia and cystic fibrosis.

The expansion of newborn screening in Ontario officially began in April 2006 when the ONSP was launched at CHEO, offering testing for three rare genetic diseases. CHEO extended its test offerings for the next two years, finally achieving the 28-test mandate this April with CF testing using the xTAG[TM] Cystic Fibrosis Kit.

"The Luminex CF kit provides a robust, user-friendly system to test a large number of samples for a broad panel of clinically relevant CF mutations, allowing us to screen more than a hundred samples every week from newborn babies that have been identified as being at high risk for having CF," said Dr. Pranesh Chakraborty, pediatrician and laboratory director for the Ontario Newborn Screening Program at CHEO. "This, in turn, means that babies who have CF can be diagnosed earlier and their health can be improved by starting treatment at an earlier age."

CF is the most common autosomal recessive disorder in the Caucasian population. It is estimated that one in every 3,600 children born in Ontario is affected with the disease. Early detection and treatment of CF has been shown to reduce therapeutic needs, lower rates of complications, and increase life expectancy. Late diagnosis of the disease is frequently associated with chronic lung infections and compromised growth.

CF screening begins by assessing an infant's blood IRT (immunoreactive trypsinogen) level from a dried blood spot sample obtained from a heel prick. A high IRT suggests possible CF and requires further testing. Those samples showing an IRT level above the 96th percentile are then tested with the Luminex xTAG[TM] Cystic Fibrosis Kit, which simultaneously screens for the 39 most common CF gene mutations and 4 variants.

Within the first six weeks of genetic testing for CF, CHEO's Newborn Screening Program conducted 826 tests using the Luminex test. From that group, 47 babies were identified as being at high risk for having CF and referred to a treatment centre for a follow up assessment with a specialist.

"Through its newborn screening mandate, the government of Ontario has recognized the significant health benefits that early detection affords people who are diagnosed with CF," says Jeremy Bridge-Cook, Vice President of Luminex Molecular Diagnostics. "We salute the Newborn Screening Program at CHEO for having accomplished its ambitious goal and are honored that Luminex's cystic fibrosis kit has aided in its endeavor. Knowing that our work is helping Ontario families keep their children healthy really brings home Luminex's mission to improve the health, safety, and quality of life of people around the world."

Luminex's xTAG[TM] Cystic Fibrosis Kit simultaneously screens for 39 common CF gene mutations and 4 variants, including the 23 CFTR gene mutations and 4 variants (polymorphisms) that were recommended by the American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) in 2004, plus 16 of the world's most common and North American-prevalent mutations. With validated performance criteria, the CF Kit is a highly accurate and reproducible (99.9%) test that provides superior mutation coverage for carrier screening in adults and as an aid to diagnosis in newborns.

In May 2005, the xTAG[TM] Cystic Fibrosis Kit became the first multiplexing assay to be cleared for diagnostic use by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It received CE mark certification for sale in Europe in December 2005, and was approved by Health Canada in July 2006. Luminex's future plans for advances in CF screening include seeking approval in the US, Canada, and Europe for a second CF genotyping assay which will allow detection of more than 39 mutations and will increase the mutation coverage rates within different ethnic groups, especially within the Hispanic and African-American populations.

About the Ontario Newborn Screening Program

To learn more about the Ontario Newborn Screening Program, Cystic Fibrosis, or other genetic disorders that are part of the newborn screening panel, visit www.newbornscreening.on.ca

About Luminex Corporation

Luminex Corporation develops, manufactures and markets proprietary biological testing technologies with applications throughout the diagnostic and life sciences industries. The Company's xMAP[R] multiplex solutions include an open-architecture, multi-analyte technology platform that delivers fast, accurate and cost-effective bioassay results to markets as diverse as pharmaceutical drug discovery, clinical diagnostics and biomedical research, including the genomics and proteomics research markets. The Company's xMAP technology is sold worldwide and is already in use in leading clinical laboratories as well as major pharmaceutical, diagnostic and biotechnology companies. Further information on Luminex Corporation or xMAP technology can be obtained at www.luminexcorp.com.

Statements made in this release that express Luminex' or management's intentions, plans, beliefs, expectations or predictions of future events are forward-looking statements. The words "believe," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "will," "could," "should" and similar expressions are intended to further identify such forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. It is important to note that the Company's actual results or performance could differ materially from those anticipated or projected in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause Luminex' actual results or performance to differ materially include risks and uncertainties relating to, among others, Luminex' ability to execute on the growth potential of its proprietary xMAP Technology-based products and platforms, Luminex' ability to continue to develop new products that address unmet clinical and customer needs in growth market segments, Luminex' ability to expand its assay product line and obtain regulatory approvals of any new products, market demand and acceptance of Luminex' products, the Company's dependence on strategic partners for development, commercialization and distribution of products, concentration of the Company's revenue in a limited number of strategic partners, fluctuations in quarterly results due to a lengthy and unpredictable sales cycle and bulk purchases of consumables, Luminex' ability to scale manufacturing operations and manage operating expenses, gross margins and inventory levels, potential shortages of components, competition, the timing of regulatory approvals, the implementation, including any modification, of the Company's strategic operating plans, risks and uncertainties associated with implementing our acquisition strategy and the ability to integrate acquired companies, or selected assets into our consolidated business operations, including the ability to recognize the benefits of our acquisitions, as well as the risks discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Luminex' Reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements contained herein represent the judgment of Luminex as of the date of this press release, and Luminex expressly disclaims any intent, obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in Luminex' expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based.