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


                                                            Shire


11 September 2003


Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc (the "Company")

Application  has been made to the UK  Listing  Authority  and the  London  Stock
Exchange  for a  block  listing  of  250,000  ordinary  shares  of 5p each to be
admitted to the Official List.

These  shares,  ranking pari passu in all respects  with the existing  shares in
issue, will be allotted pursuant to the rules of the Shire Pharmaceuticals Group
plc 2000 Executive Share Option Scheme (Part B).



T May
Company Secretary


For further information please contact:

Global (outside US and Canada)
Clea Rosenfeld - Investor Relations                             +44 1256 894 160
US & Canada
Gordon Ngan - Investor Relations                                +44 1256 894 160


Notes to editors

Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc

Shire  Pharmaceuticals  Group plc (Shire) is a global  specialty  pharmaceutical
company with a strategic focus on meeting the needs of the specialist  physician
and  currently  has a range of  projects  and  products  in the areas of central
nervous system (CNS),  gastrointestinal (GI), and renal. Shire has operations in
the world's key pharmaceutical markets (US, Canada, UK, France, Italy, Spain and
Germany) as well as a specialist drug delivery unit in the US.

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