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): May 4, 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
(Commission File Number) 98-0359573
(IRS 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) Exhibit. The following exhibit is filed herewith:
99.1         Press Release dated May 4, 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: May 4, 2004

EXHIBIT INDEX

Number    Description
99.1          Press Release dated May 4, 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

4 May 2004

Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc (the “Company”)

The Company announces that on 30 April 2004 Dr Wilson Totten, a director of the Company, exercised an option granted to him under the Shire Pharmaceuticals Executive Share Option Scheme and acquired 141,138 ordinary shares of £0.05 each in the Company at an option price of 338.5p per share. He subsequently sold the shares at 520p per share.

Dr Totten also sold an additional 6,061 shares at 520p per share.

As a result of this transaction Dr Totten has no interest, apart from unexercised share options, in the ordinary share capital of the Company.

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 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