Shire and Boston Children's Hospital Enter Into Broad Research Collaboration

Lexington, Massachusetts (ots/PRNewswire) -

Shire plc and Boston Children's Hospital today announced a
three-year, broad research collaboration in rare diseases. The goal
of the collaboration is to develop novel therapies to treat a number
of rare pediatric diseases with high unmet medical need, thereby
leveraging Boston Children's research expertise and Shire's
development and commercialization capabilities. The partnership
underscores Shire's long-term commitment to bring innovative
therapies to patients with rare diseases worldwide.

Under the terms of the agreement, Shire will make an initial
upfront payment to Boston Children's and will have the opportunity to
fund selected research programs. The emphasis will be on
opportunities that have the potential to deliver a development
candidate in less than three years from project initiation. Following
the completion of these programs, Shire will have an exclusive option
to enter into a licensing agreement for each program. Upon entering
into any subsequent licensing agreement, Boston Children's will be
eligible to receive certain development and commercial milestone
payments, as well as royalties on product sales from Shire. Shire
will have the primary responsibility for any further clinical
development and commercialization of products arising from the
collaboration. The agreement, negotiated on the Boston Children's
side by its Technology & Innovation Development Office, represents a
flexible structure that aligns the parties according to their
strengths.

"As a leader in rare diseases, Shire is pleased to enter into
this innovative collaboration with Boston Children's, which joins
together leaders in academia and industry to advance pioneering
research from the lab to the clinic," said Dr. Philip J. Vickers,
Global Head of Research and Development, Shire HGT. "Shire has a deep
commitment to patients with rare diseases, and our developmental
expertise combined with Boston Children's research capabilities
should enable an acceleration of our discovery and development
efforts. Our collaboration with Boston Children's is an ideal example
of how we advance these goals."

"We are excited about the potential that the collaboration with
Shire represents," said Dr. Alan Beggs, Director of the Manton Center
for Orphan Disease Research at Boston Children's. "Boston Children's
brings the research infrastructure to make the foundational
discoveries about these diseases and our clinicians know the patients
and their needs. Partnering with Shire's drug development
capabilities represents a powerful combination that we hope will
facilitate the development of new classes of therapy to ultimately
benefit patients."

Notes to editors

Shire enables people with life-altering conditions to lead better
lives.

Through our deep understanding of patients' needs, we develop and
provide healthcare in the areas of:

- Behavioral Health and Gastro Intestinal conditions
- Rare Diseases
- Regenerative Medicine

as well as other symptomatic conditions treated by specialist
physicians.

We aspire to imagine and lead the future of healthcare, creating
value for patients, physicians, policymakers, payors and our
shareholders.

About Boston Children's Hospital

Founded in 1869 as a 20-bed hospital for children, Boston
Children's Hospital has been ranked as one of the nation's best
pediatric hospitals by U.S.News & World Report for the past 21 years.
Boston Children's is the primary pediatric teaching hospital of
Harvard Medical School and the largest provider of health care to
Massachusetts children. In addition to 396 pediatric and adolescent
inpatient beds and 228 outpatient programs, Boston Children's houses
the world's largest research enterprise based at a pediatric medical
center, where its discoveries benefit both children and adults. More
than 1,100 scientists, including nine members of the National Academy
of Sciences, 11 members of the Institute of Medicine and nine members
of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute comprise Boston Children's
research community. For more information about the hospital visit:
http://www.childrenshospital.org/newsroom.

"SAFE HARBOR" STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION
REFORM ACT OF 1995

Statements included herein 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 such risks or uncertainties materialize, the
Company's results could be materially adversely affected. The risks
and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks associated
with: the inherent uncertainty of research, development, approval,
reimbursement, manufacturing and commercialization of the Company's
Specialty Pharmaceuticals, Human Genetic Therapies and Regenerative
Medicine products, as well as the ability to secure new products for
commercialization and/or development; government regulation of the
Company's products; the Company's ability to manufacture its products
in sufficient quantities to meet demand; the impact of competitive
therapies on the Company's products; the Company's ability to
register, maintain and enforce patents and other intellectual
property rights relating to its products; the Company's ability to
obtain and maintain government and other third-party reimbursement
for its products; and other risks and uncertainties detailed from
time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.

For further information please contact:
Shire
Investor Relations
Eric Rojas
erojas@shire.com
+1-781-482-0999
Sarah Elton-Farr
seltonfarr@shire.com
+44-1256-894157
Media
Jessica Mann (Corporate)
jmann@shire.com
+44-1256-894-280
Jessica Cotrone (Human Genetic Therapies)
jcotrone@shire.com
+1-781-482-9538
Boston Children's Hospital
Rob Graham
rob.graham@childrens.harvard.edu
+1-617-919-3110

ots Originaltext: Shire Pharmaceuticals Group Plc
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de