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MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Bio-Techne Corporation (NASDAQ:TECH) today announced that Exosome Diagnostics, a Bio-Techne brand, has established a new partnership with Hall of Famer and baseball's all-time "Iron Man", Cal Ripken Jr. This year marks 25 years since Ripken played in his 2,131^st consecutive game, eclipsing the thought to be unbreakable record of 2,130 set by the legendary Lou Gehrig. Recently the 21-year Major League veteran divulged that earlier this year he was diagnosed with and successfully treated for prostate cancer.  Today Ripken, 60, is leading a national effort with Exosome Diagnostics to build education and awareness of the ExoDx ™ Prostate test, encourage men to proactively take action and be aware of their prostate health. The ExoDx™ Prostate (EPI) test played an important role in the management of Cal's prostate cancer.

One in nine American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second leading cause of cancer death among American men and is the most commonly diagnosed cancer.  The American Cancer Society estimates that over 191,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2020 and projects that ~33,000 men will die from the disease. Currently, nearly 3.6 million American men are living with the disease – only slightly less than the population of Los Angeles.

The EPI test is a urine-based genomic test that helps inform the prostate biopsy decision. This liquid biopsy test recently received coverage for the VA Healthcare system under the General Services Administration (GSA) award, received a positive coverage decision from Medicare, and is included in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines for early detection in men for both initial and repeat biopsy. It is performed by Exosome Diagnostics in its CLIA, ISO, and NY certified and CAP-accredited laboratory located in Waltham, Massachusetts. The EPI test is a risk assessment tool that assists physicians and their patients with determining if a prostate biopsy is needed when presented with an ambiguous PSA test result, thereby reducing complications from unnecessary and invasive procedures. ExoDx Prostate is now available with an At-Home Collection kit, enabling patients unable to see a healthcare professional or preferring to collect their sample at home access to the test.

Cal Ripken Jr. and Exosome Diagnostics will launch the newly formed partnership during the month of September, which is notably Prostate Cancer Awareness month, by speaking out about his story through a series of videos and articles.  Mr. Ripken and his personal physician and urologist, Dr. Ronald Tutrone of Chesapeake Urology in Baltimore, MD, will host a live speaking webinar event on September 29, 12:00-1:00 pm ET. The event requires advance registration and is available for replay following the event; replay details will be available on Exosomedx.com. Cal Ripken Jr. and Dr. Ronald Tutrone are expected to discuss Mr. Ripken's personal prostate cancer journey, including the realization that the Iron Man became susceptible to the disease without traditional signs and symptoms, and the moment of clarity he had with his ExoDx Prostate test result.

"We are elated that Mr. Ripken survived prostate cancer and that our ExoDx Prostate test made a difference in the care and treatment of his condition," said Chuck Kummeth, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bio-Techne. "He not only gave his heart and soul to the game of baseball, but is now willing to leverage his highly visible platform to make an impact on men's lives by sharing his personal prostate cancer experience and how the ExoDx Prostate test impacted his journey." 

Ripken added, "When I was first diagnosed, I had all of the reactions most people had – concern, fear, uncertainty.  Fortunately, Dr. Tutrone and my medical team were fantastic and because of the ExoDx Prostate test, I chose to have my biopsy and caught my cancer in the very early stages.  After recovery I thought this would be an opportunity to utilize the platform that baseball has provided me to encourage others to take this simple test and work with their doctors to determine the best course of action."

About Bio-Techne

Bio-Techne Corporation (NASDAQ: TECH) is a leading developer and manufacturer of high-quality purified proteins and reagent solutions - notably cytokines and growth factors, antibodies, immunoassays, biologically active small molecule compounds, tissue culture reagents and T-Cell activation technologies. Bio-Techne's product portfolio also includes protein analysis solutions, sold under the ProteinSimple brand name, offering researchers efficient and streamlined options for automated western blot and multiplexed ELISA workflow. These reagent and protein analysis solutions are sold to biomedical researchers as well as clinical research laboratories and constitute the Protein Sciences Segment. Bio-Techne also develops and manufactures diagnostic products including FDA-regulated controls, calibrators, blood gas and clinical chemistry controls and custom assay development on dedicated clinical instruments. Bio-Techne's genomic tools include advanced tissue-based in-situ hybridization assays (ISH) for research and clinical use, sold under the ACD brand as well as a portfolio of clinical molecular diagnostic oncology assays, including the ExoDx^TM Prostate test (EPI) for prostate cancer diagnosis. These diagnostic and genomic products comprise Bio-Techne's Diagnostics and Genomics Segment. Bio-Techne products are integral components of scientific investigations into biological processes and molecular diagnostics, revealing the nature, diagnosis, etiology and progression of specific diseases. They aid in drug discovery efforts and provide the means for accurate clinical tests and diagnoses. With thousands of products in its portfolio, Bio-Techne generated approximately $739 million in net sales in fiscal 2020 and has approximately 2,300 employees worldwide.

About Cal Ripken, Jr.

Cal Ripken, Jr. is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and played his entire 21-year Major League career with his hometown Baltimore Orioles.  He was a 19-time American League All-Star, a two-time American League Most Valuable Player and two-time All-Star Game MVP.  He is one of ten players in history with more than 3,000 hits and 400 home runs. Since retirement Ripken has built a youth baseball business and a national non-profit organization.  Ripken Baseball runs tournament destination sites called "The Ripken Experience" in his hometown of Aberdeen, MD, Myrtle Beach, SC, Pigeon Forge, TN and at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando, FL.  In 2001 he and his family started the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation in honor of the family's patriarch.  Today the foundation serves underserved youth across the country through programs such as Badges for Baseball and the construction of Youth Development Parks that provide kids with safe places to play and learn.  In 2020 the foundation will impact over 1 Million kids nationwide and will built its 100^th Youth Development Park.  In addition, Ripken is a best-selling author, an accomplished corporate speaker and a popular corporate spokesperson.  Ripken is also a Public Diplomacy Envoy for the U.S. State Department and since 2007 he has made goodwill trips to China, Japan, Nicaragua and the Czech Republic.

Media Contacts:  
For Exosome Diagnostics and Bio-Techne
Contact: David Clair, Senior Director, Investor Relations & Corporate Development
david.clair@bio-techne.com
612-656-4416

For Cal Ripken, Jr.
John Maroon
John@MaroonPR.com
(443) 690-8943

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SOURCE Bio-Techne Corporation