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): January 9, 2003


                         Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc
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             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


                                England and Wales
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                 (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
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(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)






                                       -2-



Item 5.  Other Events

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

Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

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

99.1              Press Release dated January 9, 2003




                                      -3-



                                    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.

Dated:    January 9, 2003       SHIRE PHARMACEUTICALS GROUP PLC



                                By:    /s/ Angus Russell
                                       ----------------------------------------
                                       Name:  Angus Russell
                                       Title:  Group Finance Director








                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Number   Description

99.1              Press Release dated January 9, 2003

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


For Immediate Release



   Response to ANDA application on FDA website for a generic copy of ADDERALL
                                     XR(TM)


Basingstoke, UK- 9 January 2003 - Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc (LSE: SHP,
NASDAQ: SHPGY, TSX: SHQ) notes that the FDA has featured an ANDA (abbreviated
new drug application) application for a copy of Adderall XR(TM) on its website
and although this information has not been confirmed, Shire makes the following
comments:

     o    ADDERALL XR is protected by a granted pharmaceutical composition
          patent that extends to 2018.
     o    If any ANDA applicant company wishes to launch such a product prior to
          the expiry of the ADDERALL XR patent, it will have to provide Shire
          with a notice alleging that Shire's patent is invalid and/or not
          infringed and provide a factual and legal basis for this allegation.
          This must be notified to Shire giving the company the opportunity to
          commence infringement litigation. No such notification has been
          received.
     o    Shire will exercise its policy of vigorously defending its patent
          rights. The ANDA cannot be approved if litigation is in process. Such
          litigation typically may take up to 30 months which would extend the
          earliest date for any launch to mid 2005.
     o    In addition, ADDERALL XR has Hatch-Waxman exclusivity which prevents
          approval of a generic copy until October 2004 at the earliest,
          irrespective of the patent status.
     o    On 18th December 2002, Shire submitted an sNDA for adult indication
          for ADDERALL XR.

Says Shire Chief Executive, Rolf Stahel:

"Shire has a carefully planned future ADHD strategy. ADDERALL XR is in a strong
position with a granted composition patent that lasts until 2018 as well as data
protections giving exclusivity until the fourth quarter of 2004. We believe that
it will be difficult for a generic company to develop a product that is similar
enough to ADDERALL XR to receive FDA approval with an AB rating, allowing
substitution by the pharmacist in the US and at the same time replicating the
full patient benefits of ADDERALL XR. We intend of course to rigorously defend
our intellectual property rights."

Ends




For further information please contact:

Global (outside US & Canada)
Clea Rosenfeld - Investor Relations                  +44 1256 894 160
Jessica Mann - Media                                 +44 1256 894 280

US & Canada
Gordon Ngan - Investor Relations                     +1 450 978 7938
Michele Roy - Media                                  +1 450 978 7938

Notes to editors

Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc

Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc (Shire) is a rapidly growing international
specialty pharmaceutical company with a strategic focus on four therapeutic
areas - central nervous system disorders (CNS), oncology, gastro-intestinal (GI)
and anti-infectives. Shire also has three platform technologies: advanced drug
delivery, lead optimisation for small molecules and biologics. Shire's core
strategy is based on research and development combined with in licensing and a
focus on eight key pharmaceutical markets.

For further information on Shire, please visit the Company's website:
www.shire.com


THE "SAFE HARBOUR" STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT
OF 1995. The statements made in this press release that are not historical facts
are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve a number
of risks and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time. In the event
that such risks or uncertainties materialise, Shire's results could be
materially affected. The risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited
to, risks associated with the inherent uncertainty of pharmaceutical research,
product development and commercialisation, the impact of competitive products,
including but not limited to the impact of same on Shire's ADHD franchise of
patents, government regulation and approval, including but not limited to the
expected approval date of lanthanum carbonate (FOSRENOL/FOSNOL) and other risks
and uncertainties detailed from time to time in periodic reports produced by
Shire, including the Annual Report filed on Form 10K by Shire with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.