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):                     November 5, 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)	(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)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2.):

o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 8.01.  Other Events

            Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc has issued a press release attached as Exhibit 99.01 which is incorporated by reference herein.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

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

99.01     Press Release dated November 5, 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: November 5, 2004

EXHIBIT INDEX

Number Description

99.01 Press Release dated November 5, 2004

EX-99.01

Exhibit 99.01

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

5 November 2004

Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc (the “Company”)

The Company announces that it was notified on 5 November 2004 under Sections 198 to 202 of the Companies Act that on 26 February 2004 Franklin Resources, Inc. and its affiliates had holdings managed on behalf of investment clients of 62,383,897 ordinary shares of £0.05p each in the capital of the Company. These holdings represent 12.8918 per cent of the issued 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