HYCOR REPORTS FIRST QTR NET INCOME OF $331.000.

Hycor Biomedical Inc. (Nasdaq:HYBD), Garden Grove, Calif., has reported net income of $331,000, or $0.04 per share on sales of $4,878,000 for the first quarter ended March 31, 2003.

The results compare with net income of $253,000, or $0.03 per share on revenue of $4,571,000 for the first quarter ended March 31, 2002.

"One of our key goals is to continue to grow our core business," said J. David Tholen, president and chief executive officer of Hycor. "During the first quarter, we accomplished this goal through a 27% increase in allergy diagnostics sales when compared to the same quarter in 2002.

"In addition, we strengthened our core business with the FDA approval of an additional autoimmune test. In the U.S., 29 products have now been approved representing the broadest portfolio of automated autoimmune diagnostic testing products available in the market. Internationally, we offer an even broader menu of 37 tests."

"We also began to make the R&D investment in our significant strategic agreement with Bayer Diagnostics to adapt Hycor's autoimmune reagent portfolio to Bayer's ADVIA Centaur Immunoassay System. We continue to believe that the investments we are making with the Bayer program will lead to significant revenue opportunities in 2004 and beyond.

"We also continue to explore other strategic agreements for our autoimmune and allergy diagnostics product lines, as well as product line acquisitions and strategic business combinations. In addition, our balance sheet remains extremely strong with no debt," Tholen concluded.

Hycor Biomedical discovers, develops, manufactures and markets diagnostic products for a variety of human medical conditions. These products include high quality automated instrument and reagent systems that use blood samples to test for more than 1,000 different allergies and autoimmune disorders, and urinalysis controls and disposable products under the KOVA(R) brand, the market leader in standardized microscopic urinalysis.

Hycor products are used by physicians and clinical laboratories all over the world to provide accurate, reliable test results for physicians and their patients.

With headquarters in Garden Grove and facilities in Germany and Scotland, Hycor employs more than 140 people worldwide and serves customers in more than 50 countries.

For information, visit http://wwwhycorbiomedical.com or call 714/933-3000.