Digene's Charles M. Fleischman Wins
Maryland International Business Leadership Award

Baltimore, Maryland, March 18, 2005 – Charles M. (Chuck) Fleischman, President, CFO and COO for Digene Corporation was selected as a winner of Maryland's 2005 International Business Leadership Awards.  The award is presented to an individual within a Maryland company who has led his or her company to new global heights, demonstrating an entrepreneurial spirit, determination, creativity and the cultural sensitivity that global business demands.

Digene Corporation develops, manufactures and sells gene-based testing systems for women’s cancers and infectious diseases. Digene's lead product is directed at preventing cervical cancer, and Digene markets the only FDA-approved test for human papillomavirus (HPV) -- the primary cause of cervical cancer.  With the global HPV Screening market estimated at $1.5 Billion, significant opportunity exists for Digene.

Chuck Fleischman holds an A.B. degree in History from Harvard University and an MBA in Finance from The Wharton School.  He is an active member of the board of AdvaMed -- the Advanced Medical Technology Association. Tired of 1980s case studies about American businesses getting beaten by international competition, Chuck set out to build a great, American-based company.  Since 1990 Fleischman and his partner, Evan Jones, have grown Digene into one of the world’s fastest growing medical products companies, with products designed to improve clinical outcomes and contain healthcare costs. All products are created and manufactured in Gaithersburg, Maryland.   Digene employs nearly 300 people in Maryland with another 100 employees worldwide.

In the first half of the nineties, Fleischman and team focused on creating a new molecular diagnostics technology platform, called Hybrid Capture. In the second half of the 90's, the team demonstrated the clinical utility of Digene’s unique products – enrolling and testing 100,000 women worldwide. Now Digene is fully focused on commercialization.  In full commercialization mode, Fleischman says "the stars are aligning for Digene".  Sales have risen from $23 million in 2000 to $49 million in 2002 to $90 million in 2004.  Projections point to revenues in excess of $115 million in 2005, with greater than 30% growth continuing into the foreseeable future.   International sales are a key component for current and future growth.   With nearly $20 million in international revenues this year, Digene's largest international markets include Germany, France, Italy and Spain.  The fastest growing Asian markets are China and Japan. 

Fleischman is passionate about Digene's products. "No woman should die of cervical cancer," he says. The company has embarked on a public awareness program for cervical cancer and HPV screening in the United States. Digene is also working with the Gates Foundation to prevent cervical cancer in the developing world.

An adventurer at heart, Fleischman enjoys white water rafting, rock climbing and helicopter skiing.  Fleischman compares these thrill seeking sports to international business. "You identify the risk and you manage it," he says.

Fleischman is married and has two children -- ages 13 and 10.