8-K

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 2, 2004

Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

England and Wales

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

0-29630	98-0359573
(Commission File Number)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

Hampshire International Business Park, Chineham, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG24 8EP England
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code      44 1256 894 000

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Item 5. Other Events

Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc has issued the press release attached as Exhibit 99.1 and which is incorporated by reference herein.

Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits

     (c) Exhibits.    The following exhibit is filed herewith:

99.1       Press Release dated February 2, 2004

SIGNATURE

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

SHIRE PHARMACEUTICALS GROUP PLC

By:    /s/ A C Russell                  
       Name: Angus Russell
       Title:   Group Finance Director

Dated: February 2, 2004

EXHIBIT INDEX

Number      Description

99.1            Press Release dated February 2, 2004

EX-99.1

EXHIBIT 99.1

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 to present at Merrill Lynch Healthcare Conference, New York

Basingstoke, UK – 2 February 2004 – Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY, TSX: SHQ) announces that Chief Executive Matthew Emmens will present at the Merrill Lynch Global Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology & Medical Device Conference in New York on Tuesday, 3 February 2004, at 4:10 pm Eastern Time (9:10 pm GMT). Investors may access a live audio webcast of the presentation at www.shire.com.

For further information please contact:

Investor Relations

Souheil Salah	+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 focuses on developing projects and marketing products in the areas of central nervous system (CNS), gastrointestinal (GI), and renal diseases. 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