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 Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2002 Copies of the above document together with the Notice of Meeting and Form of Proxy, relating to the 2003 Annual General Meeting of the Company, have been submitted to the UK Listing Authority, and will shortly be available for inspection at the UK Listing Authority's Document Viewing Facility, which is situated at: Financial Services Authority 25 The North Colonnade Canary Wharf London E14 5HS Tel No. (0)20 7676 1000 T May Company Secretary For further information please contact: Global (outside US and Canada) Gordon Ngan - 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 7938 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.