SBS supports Cervical Cancer Awareness Week

12 June 2012

Source BioScience plc

('Source BioScience', the 'Group')

Source BioScience supports Cervical Cancer Awareness Week

To mark cervical cancer awareness week, Source BioScience, providers of cervical cancer screening technology, joins the National Health Service Cervical Screening Programme ('NHSCSP') and charities such as Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust and MacMillan Cancer Support, in calling for all eligible women to attend their cervical cancer tests.

The UK leads the way by having the best organised cervical cancer screening programme in the world and sets the standard for other countries in the early detection of cervical cancer and therefore, treatment. But even with this premier standard of care, there are still over 2,900 women in the UK diagnosed with cervical cancer every year and around 20% of women in the UK still do not attend cervical screening sessions.

There is therefore a huge need still to raise public awareness of how cervical cancer can be prevented by early screening and detection and urge women to be tested.

Wilma Anderson, Business Manager at Source BioScience observed, "As a previous employee of the NHS and with 11 years' experience looking down the microscope at cervical slides I know this test can pick up small changes in the cells that, if untreated, may progress into cervical disease. All women should accept their invitation for their test when they receive it. It can and does save lives as this disease has good treatment prospects if caught early."

Supplying the BD SurePath™ cytology technology to the NHSCSP since 2002, Source BioScience provides approximately 50% of all cervical cancer screening kits used by NHS Hospital Trusts and Cytology laboratories in England and Wales. Last year, approximately 2 million samples were analysed using the BD SurePath™ platform Source BioScience is also working closely with the NHSCSP to introduce automated imaging of cervical slides. The BD FocalPoint™ technology reduces by up to 25% the number of tests which require manual screening, thereby speeding up the turnaround time for patients to receive their results.

Nick Ash, CEO of Source BioScience, added: "There is a major benefit to women in attending their routine cervical screening test, and we recognise the excellent work of organisations such as Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust and the NHSCSP in raising the awareness of this disease and the need for testing. Their efforts help to ensure this disease can be caught early and treated. Without them, the incidence of cervical cancer would undoubtedly be much higher."

-Ends-

For further information, please contact:

Source BioScience plcWilma AndersonBusiness Manager, Healthcare

Tel: +44 (0) 781 132 6412

www.sourcebioscience.com

College Hill (PR Agency to Source BioScience)Melanie Toyne-Sewell/Jayne CrookTel: +44 (0)207 457 2020Mob: +44 (0)7890 022814 / +44 (0)7979 462044Email: [email protected]

About Source BioScience:

Source BioScience plc (LSE: SBS) is an international diagnostics and genetic analysis business serving the healthcare and research markets. The LifeSciences division provides core laboratory research support from conceptualisation to implementation, calling upon a wide range of cutting-edge technology platforms including an online catalogue of biomolecular tools. The Group is a trusted provider of a complete range of sophisticated microarray, next generation and conventional sequencing services. GLP, GCP and CPA accreditations make the sequencing offerings also very attractive for applications in regulatory studies or clinical settings. Its Healthcare operations provide screening and reference laboratory diagnostic testing for cancer and other diseases and additional predictive testing for treatment optimisation for clinicians and patients. The Group has its headquarters in Nottingham, UK. Further information about Source BioScience can be found at www.sourcebioscience.com