Gen-Probe Launches PANTHER(TM) System, Fully Automated and Integrated Molecular Testing Instrument, in Europe

System Offers Revolutionary Productivity and Flexibility for Laboratories

SAN DIEGO, November 30, 2010 - Gen-Probe Incorporated (Nasdaq: GPRO) announced today that the Company's
PANTHER(TM) system, a fully automated and integrated molecular testing system
designed with the flexibility to handle a wide range of testing needs, has
been CE-marked and is available for sale in Europe.

"After three and a half years of active development, launching our
PANTHER system in Europe a month ahead of schedule is a significant milestone
in Gen-Probe's history and a testament to the scores of talented and
dedicated employees who made it happen," said Carl Hull, Gen-Probe's
president and chief executive officer. "We believe the PANTHER system will
revolutionize molecular diagnostics by offering customers high levels of
productivity and instrument flexibility that were once reserved for
high-throughput clinical chemistry and immunoassay systems."

    Key features of the PANTHER system include:

    - Fully integrated "sample-in, result-out" automation. A single operator
      can process 275 samples in eight hours on the PANTHER system. Hands-on
      time is less than an hour, yielding seven hours of walk-away freedom.
      For larger customers, the PANTHER system can continue running
      unattended, processing 500 samples in 12 hours.
    - Primary tube sampling with random access loading for maximum
      flexibility and productivity. Multiple assays can be run from a single
      sample, and operators have continuous access to samples, reagents and
      consumables.
    - A customer-driven design, intuitive software for ease of use, and
      remote diagnostics capabilities.
    - Extensive process controls that include positive sample identification,
      liquid level detection, reagent dispense verification, and radio
      frequency identification (RFID) tags on fluid containers.
    - A small footprint with a width of 122 cm, a depth of 81.5 cm, and a
      height of 175 cm.

In Europe, the PANTHER system can initially be used to perform
Gen-Probe's nucleic acid tests for the common sexually transmitted infections
Chlamydia and gonorrhea. These include the APTIMA Combo 2(R), APTIMA(R) CT
(Chlamydia) and APTIMA GC (gonorrhea) assays. Several other qualitative and
quantitative assays are in development.

The PANTHER system builds on the success of Gen-Probe's TIGRIS(R)
instrument, which was the first fully automated, high-throughput molecular
testing system for large laboratories. Since its launch in 2004, more than
500 TIGRIS systems have been installed at clinical diagnostic and blood
screening laboratories around the world.

The PANTHER system is CE-marked for sale in the European Union, but has
not been cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration and is not
commercially available in the United States. For more information on the
PANTHER system and available assays, European laboratories can contact
Gen-Probe customer service in Wiesbaden, Germany, at +49-6122-7076451, or
customerservice@gen-probe.eu.

About Gen-Probe

Gen-Probe Incorporated is a global leader in the development, manufacture
and marketing of rapid, accurate and cost-effective molecular diagnostic
products and services that are used primarily to diagnose human diseases,
screen donated human blood, and ensure transplant compatibility. Gen-Probe
has approximately 27 years of expertise in nucleic acid testing (NAT), and
received the 2004 National Medal of Technology, America's highest honor for
technological innovation, for developing NAT assays for blood screening.
Gen-Probe is headquartered in San Diego and employs approximately 1,300
people. For more information, go to www.gen-probe.com.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Any statements in this news release about our expectations, beliefs,
plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are
forward-looking statements. These statements are often made through the use
of words or phrases such as believe, will, expect, anticipate, estimate,
intend, plan and would. For example, statements concerning possible or
expected results of operations, regulatory approvals, future sales, growth
opportunities, and plans of management are all forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. They involve
known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may cause actual
results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Some of these
risks include: (i) the risk that the PANTHER system will not be cleared for
marketing in the United States; (ii) the risk that other assays will not be
approved for use on the PANTHER system; (iii) the possibility that the market
for the sale of our PANTHER system or other new products may not develop as
expected; (iv) the risk that our intellectual property surrounding the
PANTHER system will be invalidated; and (v) the risk that we may not be able
to compete effectively. This list includes some, but not all, of the factors
that could affect our ability to achieve results described in any
forward-looking statements. For additional information about risks and
uncertainties we face and a discussion of our financial statements and
footnotes, see documents we file with the SEC. We assume no obligation and
expressly disclaim any duty to update forward-looking statements to reflect
events or circumstances after the date of this news release or to reflect the
occurrence of subsequent events.

    Contact:
    Michael Watts
    Vice president, investor relations and
    corporate communications
    +1-858-410-8673

Michael Watts, Vice president, investor relations and corporate communications of Gen-Probe Incorporated, +1-858-410-8673