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): August 17, 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) Exhibits. The following exhibit is filed herewith::

99.1 Press Release dated August 17, 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:    Chief Financial Officer

Dated: August 17, 2004

EXHIBIT INDEX

Number Description

99.1 Press Release dated August 17, 2004

EX-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 Exhibit 99.1

17 August 2004

Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc (the “Company”)

The Company announces that it was notified on 17 August 2004 under Sections 198 to 202 of the Companies Act that FMR Corp. and its direct and indirect subsidiaries and Fidelity International Limited and its direct and indirect subsidiaries, both being non-beneficial holders, held solely for investment purposes, in aggregate 53,262,987 ordinary shares of £0.05p each in the capital of the Company. These holdings represent 11.01 per cent of the issued ordinary share capital of the Company.

T May

Company Secretary

For further information please contact:
Investor Relations
Cláa 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