Aptitude Regulatory News (APTD)

TR-1: NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTEREST IN SHARESi

1. Identity of the issuer or the underlying issuerof existing shares to which voting rights areattached: ii

Microgen PLC

2 Reason for the notification (please tick the appropriate box or boxes):

An acquisition or disposal of voting rights

YES

An acquisition or disposal of qualifying financial instruments which may result in the acquisition of shares already issued to which voting rights are attached

An acquisition or disposal of instruments with similar economic effect to qualifying financial instruments

An event changing the breakdown of voting rights

Other (please specify):

3. Full name of person(s) subject to thenotification obligation: iii

Aberforth Partners LLP

4. Full name of shareholder(s)  (if different from 3.):iv

Shareholder: Shares:

1. Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust plc 6,155,526

2. Aberforth UK Small Companies Fund 1,561,351

3. Aberforth Geared Income Trust plc 1,607,900

All shares are registered in the name of Nortrust Nominees Ltd A/c Aberfrth

5. Date of the transaction and date onwhich the threshold is crossed orreached: v

24/01/2012

6. Date on which issuer notified:

25/01/2012

7. Threshold(s) that is/are crossed orreached: vi, vii

12%

8. Notified details:

A: Voting rights attached to shares viii, ix

Class/type ofshares

if possible usingthe ISIN CODE

Situation previousto the triggeringtransaction

Resulting situation after the triggering transaction

NumberofShares

NumberofVotingRights

Numberof shares

Number of votingrights

% of voting rights x

Direct

Direct xi

Indirect xii

Direct

Indirect

Ordinary

9,998,277

9,998,277

9,324,777

N/A

9,324,777

N/A

11.46

GB0005869531

B: Qualifying Financial Instruments

Resulting situation after the triggering transaction

Type of financialinstrument

Expirationdate xiii

Exercise/Conversion Period xiv

Number of votingrights that may beacquired if theinstrument isexercised/ converted.

% of votingrights

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

C: Financial Instruments with similar economic effect to Qualifying Financial Instruments xv, xvi

Resulting situation after the triggering transaction

Type of financialinstrument

Exercise price

Expiration date xvii

Exercise/Conversion period xviii

Number of voting rights instrument refers to

% of voting rights xix, xx

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Nominal

Delta

N/A

N/A

Total (A+B+C)

Number of voting rights

Percentage of voting rights

9,324,777

11.46

9. Chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting rights and/or thefinancial instruments are effectively held, if applicable: xxi

Held by Aberforth Partners LLP

Proxy Voting:

10. Name of the proxy holder:

N/A

11. Number of voting rights proxy holder will ceaseto hold:

N/A

12. Date on which proxy holder will cease to holdvoting rights:

N/A

13. Additional information:

In addition, Aberforth Partners LLP is interested in a further 2,885,400 shares although it does not have access to the voting rights of these shares. Aberforth Partners LLP is, therefore, interested in a total of 12,210,177 shares of Microgen plc. This interest arises as a result of the discretionary investment management powers that Aberforth Partners LLP can exercise over the funds of its clients. Aberforth Partners LLP is not the beneficial owner of these shares.

14. Contact name:

Pauline Robson, Aberforth Partners LLP

15. Contact telephone number:

0131 220 0733