Transaction in Own Shares

Genus PLC
16 December 2004


Genus plc (the 'Company')

Treasury Shares

The Company is pleased to announce that it has today placed with institutions
2,289,444 ordinary shares of 10p each at 252.5p per share.

1,589,974 of the placed shares had been held as Treasury Shares following the
market purchases to satisfy the voluntary buy-back scheme aimed at small
shareholders, announced in the interim results released on the 17 November 2004.
The Company no longer holds any Treasury shares.

699,470 shares of the placed shares represent the exercise of share options by
employees granted under the Company's 1999 Executive Plan and under the 2000
Company Share Plan. Of this number, 194,837 shares were placed on behalf of
Richard Wood, who has today exercised his share options at 90p per share.
Following this placing, Richard Wood will hold 195,200 options which have vested
and his current holding is 59,400 shares, equating to 0.159% of the issued share
capital.

Application has been made for the admission to trading on AIM of 699,470
ordinary shares of 10p each. These shares have been allotted pursuant to the
exercise of share options on the above named schemes and rank pari passu in all
respects with the existing issued share capital which now totals 37,261,012
shares.

16 December 2004

Enquiries:

Genus plc

Richard Wood, Chief Executive, Genus plc                  Tel: [phone]
David Timmins, Group Finance Director, Genus plc

Panmure Gordon

Edward Farmer, Director                                   Tel: [phone]
Marianne Woods, Director                                  Tel: [phone]




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