INTUNIV™ - Shire Files Suit Against Impax And Watson

Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, announces that its subsidiary Shire LLC has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against Impax Laboratories, Inc. (“Impax”) and Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Watson Laboratories, Inc.-Florida, Watson Pharma, Inc and ANDA, Inc. (collectively “Watson”) for the infringement of U.S. Patent Nos. 5,854,290 (the ’290 patent), 6,287,599 (the ’599 patent), and 6,811,794 (the ’794 patent).

The lawsuit results from Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs) filed by Impax and Watson for generic versions of 4 mg guanfacine hydrochloride extended release tablets, INTUNIV™, which seek to market such generic products before the expiration of the ’290, ’599, and ’794 patents.  The regulatory exclusivity period for INTUNIV™ runs through September 2, 2012.

For further information please contact:

Investor Relations 
Eric Rojas ([email protected])
+1 781 482 0999

Media 
Jessica Mann ([email protected])
+44 1256 894 280
 
Matthew Cabrey ([email protected])
+1 484 595 8248

Notes to editors

SHIRE PLC

Shire’s strategic goal is to become the leading specialty biopharmaceutical company that focuses on meeting the needs of the specialist physician.  Shire focuses its business on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), human genetic therapies (HGT) and gastrointestinal (GI) diseases as well as opportunities in other therapeutic areas to the extent they arise through acquisitions.  Shire’s in-licensing, merger and acquisition efforts are focused on products in specialist markets with strong intellectual property protection and global rights.  Shire believes that a carefully selected and balanced portfolio of products with strategically aligned and relatively small-scale sales forces will deliver strong results.

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