Offer Update

Embargoed for immediate release at 7.00 a.m. on 4 November 2003

4 November 2003

Not for release, publication or distribution in whole or in part in or into the
United States, Canada, Australia or Japan.

                               Recommended Offer                               

                  by Close Brothers Corporate Finance Limited                  

                                 on behalf of                                  

                                 Microgen plc                                  

                  for M.M.T. Computing Public Limited Company                  

                Level of acceptances and extension of the Offer                

Microgen plc ('Microgen') announces that by 3.00 p.m. on 3 November 2003, the
first closing date of the Offer, valid acceptances of the Offer had been
received in respect of a total of 9,926,690 M.M.T. Computing Public Limited
Company ('M.M.T.') Shares, representing approximately 81.5 per cent. of the
existing issued ordinary share capital of M.M.T..

Microgen also announces that the Offer including the facility for the Mix and
Match Election has been extended and will remain open until 3.00 p.m. on 10
November 2003.

Prior to making the Offer, Microgen received irrevocable undertakings to accept
the Offer from certain M.M.T. shareholders in respect of a total of 5,465,142
M.M.T. Shares representing approximately 44.9 per cent. of the existing issued
ordinary share capital of M.M.T.. As at 3.00 p.m. on 3 November 2003, valid
acceptances had been received pursuant to these undertakings in respect of
5,461,719 representing 44.8 per cent. of the existing issued ordinary share
capital of M.M.T and are included in the valid acceptances disclosed above.

M.M.T. Shareholders who have not yet accepted the Offer, and wish to do so,
should despatch their Forms of Acceptance as soon as possible, but, in any
event, so as to be received by no later than 3.00 p.m. on 10 November 2003.

Neither Microgen nor any person deemed to be acting in concert with Microgen
for the purpose of the Offer owned or controlled any M.M.T. Shares, or any
rights over such M.M.T. Shares immediately prior to 10 October 2003, being the
commencement of the Offer Period. Neither Microgen, nor any of the Microgen
Directors, nor, so far as Microgen is aware, has any person deemed to be acting
in concert with Microgen for the purpose of the Offer acquired or agreed to
acquire any M.M.T. Shares (or rights over M.M.T. Shares) since the commencement
of the Offer Period.

The expressions in this announcement, unless the context otherwise requires,
bear the same meaning as in the Offer Document dated 13 October 2003.

Enquiries:                                                                     
                                                                               
Microgen                                             Tel: [phone]  
                                                                               
Mike Phillips (Group Finance Director)                                         
                                                                               
Close Brothers Corporate Finance Limited             Tel: [phone]  
                                                                               
Simon Willis                                                                   
                                                                               
M.M.T.                                               Tel: [phone]  
                                                                               
Dee McFarlane (Finance Director)                                               
                                                                               
Credit Lyonnais Securities                           Tel: [phone]  
                                                                               
Simon Bennett                                                                  
                                                                               

The availability of the Offer to persons not resident in the United Kingdom may
be affected by the laws of their relevant jurisdiction. Persons who are not
resident in the UK should obtain their own advice and observe any applicable
legal and regulatory requirements. The Offer is not being made, directly or
indirectly, in or into, or by use of the mails, or by any means or
instrumentality (including, without limitation, telephonically or
electronically) of interstate or foreign commerce of, or any facility of a
national securities exchange of, the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan,
and the Offer is not capable of acceptance by any such use, means,
instrumentality or facility or from within the United States, Canada, Australia
or Japan. Accordingly, copies of this announcement are not being, and must not
be, directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise forwarded, distributed or sent
in, into or from the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan and persons
receiving this announcement (including custodians, nominees and trustees) must
not mail or otherwise forward, distribute or send it in, into or from the
United States, Canada, Australia or Japan. Doing so may render invalid any
purported acceptance of the Offer.

Close Brothers, which is regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial
Services Authority, is acting exclusively for Microgen and no one else in
connection with the Offer and will not be responsible to any person other than
Microgen for providing the protections afforded to its customers or for
providing advice in relation to the Offer.

Credit Lyonnais Securities, which is regulated in the United Kingdom by the
Financial Services Authority, is acting exclusively for M.M.T. and no one else
in connection with the Offer and will not be responsible to any person other
than M.M.T. for providing the protections afforded to its customers or for
providing advice in relation to the Offer.