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 6, 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 6, 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 6, 2004

EXHIBIT INDEX

Number      Description

99.1            Press Release dated February 6, 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

6 February 2004

Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc (the “Company”)

Application has been made to the UK Listing Authority and the London Stock Exchange for a listing 629,592 ordinary shares of 5p each in the Company to be admitted to the Official List.

These shares, ranking pari passu in all respects with the existing shares in issue, have been issued pursuant to the exchange of certain Exchangeable Shares in Shire Acquisition Inc., in accordance with terms of the Merger Agreement with BioChem Pharma Inc.

T May
Company Secretary

For further information please contact:

Investor Relations
Cléa Rosenfeld	+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 Pharmaceuticals, please visit the company’s website: www.shire.com.