IDEXX Supports U.S. Beef Industry with a BSE/Mad Cow Testing Solution [Trade]

Westbrook, Maine, April 20, 2007—IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. (NASDAQ:IDXX), announced that it is prepared to support the country’s meatpackers in response to a recent federal court decision that could change meat industry BSE testing protocols. On March 26, 2007, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) does not have authority to regulate testing for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or mad cow disease). The USDA has until June 1 to appeal the ruling.

IDEXX Laboratories is working with industry leaders to determine the potential impact of this ruling. “If the ruling stands, U.S. meat processors will have the option of testing in private laboratories, and we want to make sure they’re aware of the testing options available to them,” said IDEXX Corporate Vice President Quentin Tonelli, PhD. “IDEXX has been working to provide the U.S. livestock industry with high-quality diagnostic products for many years. Our BSE testing method, used worldwide for identifying at-risk cattle, will provide an important solution for U.S. meatpackers if the ruling stands.”

IDEXX is prepared to support a potential increase in U.S. BSE testing with its IDEXX HerdChek® BSE Antigen Test Kit. IDEXX can provide the kits, equipment and technical support required to establish a private laboratory capable of meeting the throughput needs of any customer. “This test is the fastest growing BSE test in the world,” said Tom Mikulka, Director of Production Animal Commercial Operations, Americas. “In Europe, the IDEXX test has been used with millions of cattle. The largest BSE lab in Europe—running over 300,000 tests per year—selected the IDEXX BSE kit because of its ease of use and speed to results, and IDEXX’s quality of service.”

The IDEXX BSE test takes less than two and one-half hours from sample preparation to result, making it the fastest USDA-licensed kit available. This is an important advantage when speed and accuracy of results are critical for smooth operations in packing facilities. “We are confident that IDEXX offers the most convenient solution for any U.S. beef industry segments that start private testing for BSE,” said President and CEO Jonathan Ayers. “IDEXX is the leader in production animal diagnostics and has been supporting the U.S. animal agriculture industry since 1984.”

For more information on IDEXX HerdChek BSE test kits please contact IDEXX Customer Service at 1-800-548-9997 or your IDEXX sales representative, or visit www.idexx.com/bse.

About IDEXX Laboratories
IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. is a leader in companion animal health, serving practicing veterinarians around the world with innovative, technology-based offerings, including a broad range of diagnostic products and services, practice-management systems and pharmaceuticals. IDEXX’s products enhance the ability of veterinarians to provide advanced medical care and to build more economically successful practices. IDEXX is also a worldwide leader in providing diagnostic tests and information for the production animal industry and tests for the quality and safety of water and milk. Headquartered in Maine, IDEXX Laboratories employs more than 4,000 people and offers products to customers in over 100 countries.

Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements about the Company’s business prospects that are forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's expectations of future events as of the date of this press release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information or future events or developments. Actual results could differ materially from management’s expectations. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include the following: the Company’s ability to develop, manufacture, introduce and market new products and enhancements to existing products; the effectiveness of the Company’s sales and marketing activities; the Company’s ability to develop, license or obtain rights to new technologies; the Company’s ability to identify acquisition opportunities, complete acquisitions and integrate acquired businesses; the impact of competition and technological change on the markets for the Company’s products; the effect of government regulation on the Company’s business, including government decisions about whether and when to approve the Company’s products and decisions regarding labeling, manufacturing and marketing products; the impact of distributor purchasing decisions on sales of our products that are sold through distribution; changes or trends in veterinary medicine that affect the rate of use of the Company’s products and services by veterinarians; the Company’s ability to obtain patent and other intellectual property protection for its products, successfully enforce its intellectual property rights and defend itself against third party claims against the Company; disruptions, shortages or pricing changes that affect the Company’s purchases of products and materials from third parties, including from sole source suppliers; the effects of government regulatory decisions, customer demand, pricing and other factors on the realizability of the Company’s inventories; the Company’s ability to manufacture complex biologic products; the effects of operations outside the U.S., including from currency fluctuations, different regulatory, political and economic conditions, and different market conditions; and the loss of key employees. A further description of these and other factors can be found in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006 (1.5 MB), in the section captioned "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations."

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HerdChek is a trademark or registered trademark of IDEXX Laboratories, Inc., in the United States and/or other countries.