Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc
Hampshire International Business Park,
Chineham, Basingstoke RG24 8EP  UK
Tel +44 1256 894000 Fax +44 1256 894708
http://www.shire.com

For immediate release

19 March 2003


                 Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc (the "Company")

Basingstoke, UK - 19 March 2003 - Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc (LSE: SHP,
NASDAQ: SHPGY, TSX: SHQ) announces that it was notified on 19 March 2003 under
Sections 198 to 202 of the Companies Act that FMR Corp. and its direct and
indirect subsidiaries and Fidelity International Limited and its direct and
indirect subsidiaries, both being non-beneficial holders, held solely for
investment purposes in aggregate 53,301,118 ordinary shares of (pound)0.05p each
in the capital of the Company. These holdings represent 11.00 per cent of the
issued ordinary share capital of the Company.


T May
Company Secretary


For further information please contact:

Global (outside US and Canada)
Clea Rosenfeld - Investor Relations               +44 1256 894 160
Jessica Mann - Media                              +44 1256 894 280
US & Canada
Gordon Ngan - Investor Relations                  +44 1256 894 160
Michele Roy - Media                               +1 450 978 7876


Notes to editors

Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc

Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc (Shire) is a rapidly growing international
emerging pharmaceutical company with a strategic focus on four therapeutic areas
- - central nervous system disorders (CNS), gastro intestinal (GI), oncology, and
anti-infectives. Shire also has three platform technologies: advanced drug
delivery, lead optimisation for small molecules and Biologics. Shire's core
strategy is based on research and development combined with in-licensing and a
focus on eight key pharmaceutical markets.

For further information on Shire, please visit the Company's website:
www.shire.com






THE "SAFE HARBOR" STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT
OF 1995. Statements included herein that are not historical facts, are
forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve a number of
risks and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time. In the event such
risks or uncertainties materialise, Shire's results could be materially
affected. The risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks
associated with the inherent uncertainty of pharmaceutical research, product
development and commercialisation, patents, government regulation and approval,
including but not limited to the expected product approval date of lanthanum
carbonate (FOSRENOL(R)), the impact of competitive products, including but not
limited to the impact of same on Shire's ADHD franchise, and other risks and
uncertainties detailed from time to time in our filings, including the Annual
Report filed on Form 10-K by Shire with the Securities and Exchange Commission.