Exhibit 99.1

4 January, 2012

ICON plc
Purchase of Own Securities

Further to the announcement on 22 November, 2011 of a share repurchase programme, ICON plc (“the Company”) announces that on 3 January, 2012 it purchased for cancellation 5,300 Ordinary Shares, at an average price of $17.0377.

Following the cancellation of these shares, the Company will have 60,130,303 Ordinary Shares in issue.