Shire Appoints Philip J. Vickers, PhD as Senior Vice President of Research & Development for Human Genetic Therapies Business

NYON, Switzerland and CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, October 11, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, today announced that Philip J. Vickers, PhD, has been appointed Senior Vice President of Research & Development (R&D) for its Human Genetic Therapies (HGT) business. In this position, Dr. Vickers will be responsible for leading global R&D for Shire HGT and for establishing the strategic direction of the Company's pipeline. As a member of the HGT leadership team, he will report to Sylvie Gregoire, President of Shire HGT, and will play a central role in the development and execution of HGT's global business strategy.

A senior executive with more than two decades of pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry experience, Dr. Vickers joins Shire from Resolvyx Pharmaceuticals where he was Chief Scientific Officer and President. While at Resolvyx, he served as a member of the Board and was accountable for all preclinical and clinical research, as well as external business development activities and collaborations. Previously, Dr. Vickers was Senior Vice President and U.S. Head of Research at Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, where he led a research site that focused on the therapeutic areas of cardiovascular and immunology and inflammation while managing strategic external collaborations. He also held leadership positions at Pfizer in both the US and UK, and began his career at Merck Frosst in Canada.

Dr. Vickers completed his undergraduate studies with a Bachelor of Science degree in applied biochemistry at the University of Salford, Manchester and subsequently earned a PhD in biochemistry at the University of Toronto. He was also a Visiting Fellow at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland.

"Shire HGT has grown substantially in recent years, and we are pleased to have Phil join us at a crucial time in the growth of the Company," said Sylvie Gregoire, President of Shire HGT. "He has the breadth of experience and expertise that will enhance our scientific and business capabilities in forging the long-term vision for the Company, and we will count on him to help us deliver on our promise to patients suffering from rare genetic diseases worldwide."

Notes to editors

SHIRE PLC

Shire's strategic goal is to become the leading specialty biopharmaceutical company that focuses on meeting the needs of the specialist physician. Shire focuses its business on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), human genetic therapies (HGT) and gastrointestinal (GI) diseases as well as opportunities in other therapeutic areas to the extent they arise through acquisitions. Shire's in-licensing, merger and acquisition efforts are focused on products in specialist markets with strong intellectual property protection and global rights. Shire believes that a carefully selected and balanced portfolio of products with strategically aligned and relatively small-scale sales forces will deliver strong results.

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

"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 materialize, the Company's results could be materially adversely affected. The risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks associated with: the inherent uncertainty of research, development, approval, reimbursement, manufacturing and commercialization of the Company's Specialty Pharmaceutical and Human Genetic Therapies products, as well as the ability to secure and integrate new products for commercialization and/or development; government regulation of the Company's products; the Company's ability to manufacture its products in sufficient quantities to meet demand; the impact of competitive therapies on the Company's products; the Company's ability to register, maintain and enforce patents and other intellectual property rights relating to its products; the Company's ability to obtain and maintain government and other third-party reimbursement for its products; and other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

    For further information please contact:

    Media

    Jessica Mann (Rest of the World)          +44-1256-894-280
    Jessica Cotrone (North America, HGT)      +1-781-482-9538

SOURCE Shire plc

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