[ARTICLE] 6
[LEGEND]
[RESTATED]
[CIK] 0000751173
[NAME] EXETER FUND, INC.
[SERIES]
[NAME] LIFE SCIENCE SERIES
[NUMBER] 9
[MULTIPLIER] 1
[CURRENCY] 1
[FISCAL-YEAR-END] DEC-31-2000
[PERIOD-START] JAN-01-2000
[PERIOD-END] DEC-31-2000
[PERIOD-TYPE] 6-MOS
[EXCHANGE-RATE] 1
[INVESTMENTS-AT-COST] 75647146
[INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE] 91750364
[RECEIVABLES] 1011223
[ASSETS-OTHER] 28838
[OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS] 0
[TOTAL-ASSETS] 92790425
[PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES] 1486440
[SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT] 0
[OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES] 201361
[TOTAL-LIABILITIES] 1687801
[SENIOR-EQUITY] 0
[PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON] 68799336
[SHARES-COMMON-STOCK] 6993651
[SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR] 7664119
[ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT] (206183)
[OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII] 0
[ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS] 6404680
[OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS] 0
[ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC] 16104791
[NET-ASSETS] 91102624
[DIVIDEND-INCOME] 153995
[INTEREST-INCOME] 108724
[OTHER-INCOME] 0
[EXPENSES-NET] 470945
[NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME] (208226)
[REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT] 5582539
[APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT] 10819443
[NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS] 16193756
[EQUALIZATION] 0
[DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME] 0
[DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS] 0
[DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER] 0
[NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD] 207162
[NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED] 877630
[SHARES-REINVESTED] 0
[NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS] 8332466
[ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR] 2043
[ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR] 822141
[OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR] 0
[OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR] 0
[GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES] 423161
[INTEREST-EXPENSE] 0
[GROSS-EXPENSE] 470945
[AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS] 84295985
[PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN] 10.80
[PER-SHARE-NII] (0.03)
[PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC] 2.26
[PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND] 0
[PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS] 0
[RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL] 0
[PER-SHARE-NAV-END] 13.03
[EXPENSE-RATIO] 1.11
[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING] 0
[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE] 0
