MERIDIAN BIOSCIENCE REQUESTS TO MARKET ADENOVIRUS TEST IN JAPAN.

Meridian Bioscience, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio, (Nasdaq:VIVO) has announced that its Japanese distributor, TFB, Inc. of Tokyo, Japan, filed a request to market Meridian's ImmunoCard STAT!(R) Adenovirus test with the Japanese Ministry of Health. ImmunoCard STAT! Adenovirus is a rapid point-of-care test for direct detection of the virus that can cause conjunctivitis, pharyngitis, or gastrointestinal disease. The test is simple to perform and provides accurate results in less than 10 minutes.

Conjunctivitis caused by adenovirus is frequently seen in patients with ocular infections, is highly infectious and can spread rapidly in a closely populated community. Adenovirus is also a common cause of upper respiratory tract infections, which often manifest in the form of common colds, pharyngitis, or tonsillitis. This rapid, convenient, and accurate test for Adenovirus will provide the physician with an important tool to quickly diagnose the patient's illness and provide the necessary treatment.

"We are excited to expand further our partnership with TFB by introducing this important test to the Japanese healthcare market," stated Richard Eberly, Meridian's Executive Vice President. "We have collaborated with TFB over the past year in conducting clinical trials in Japan in order to establish the test's performance characteristics, with excellent results reported. TFB continues to build a strong distribution network for Meridian's products in Japan and we look forward to the launch of the ImmunoCard STAT! Adenovirus test in the third quarter of fiscal 2002."

Meridian is a fully integrated life sciences company that manufactures, markets and distributes a broad range of innovative diagnostic test kits, purified reagents and related products and offers biopharmaceutical enabling technologies. Utilizing a variety of methods, these products provide accuracy, simplicity and speed in the early diagnosis and treatment of common medical conditions, such as gastrointestinal, viral, urinary and respiratory infections. All Meridian products are used outside of the human body and require little or no special equipment. The company's products are designed to enhance patient well-being while reducing the total outcome costs of healthcare. Meridian has strong market positions in the areas of gastrointestinal and upper respiratory infections, serology, parasitology and fungal disease diagnosis. In addition, Meridian is a supplier of rare reagents and specialty biologicals. The company markets its products to hospitals, reference laboratories, research centers, veterinary testing centers and physician offices in more than 60 countries around the world. The company's shares are traded through Nasdaq's National Market, symbol VIVO.

For more information, visit http://www.meridianbioscience.com or call 513/271-3700.