Shire Completes Acquisition of NPS Pharma                   

Dublin, Ireland - February 21, 2015 - Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPG)
announces the successful completion of the tender offer for all of the
outstanding shares of NPS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: NPSP) and the
subsequent acquisition of NPS Pharma.

The tender offer expired at 12:00 midnight, New York City time, at the end of
Friday, February 20, 2015, and was not extended. As of the expiration of the
tender offer, a total of approximately 88,869,118 common shares of NPS Pharma
(excluding 7,599,694 common shares of NPS Pharma guaranteed to be delivered
within the next three NASDAQ trading days) had been validly tendered and not
withdrawn pursuant to the tender offer, representing approximately 81.7% of the
outstanding common shares of NPS Pharma. All shares that were validly tendered
and not withdrawn pursuant to the tender offer were accepted for payment today.

After the acceptance of shares that were validly tendered and not withdrawn
pursuant to the tender offer, Shire completed the acquisition of NPS Pharma
today through a merger of one of Shire's subsidiaries with and into NPS Pharma.
In connection with the merger, all common shares of NPS Pharma that were not
accepted for payment in the tender offer (excluding any shares held by NPS
Pharma as treasury stock (other than any shares held in an NPS Pharma benefit
plan) and any shares with respect to which the holders have properly demanded
appraisal rights in accordance with Delaware law) were converted into the right
to receive $46.00 per share in cash, without interest and less any applicable
withholding taxes, the same price that will be paid for shares accepted for
payment in the tender offer. Following completion of the merger, NPS Pharma
became a wholly owned subsidiary of Shire and NPS Pharma's shares ceased to be
traded on NASDAQ.

Shire's Chief Executive Officer, Flemming Ornskov, MD, MPH, commented:

"We are delighted to have completed the acquisition of NPS Pharma, and look
forward to working with their talented employees to transform the lives of
patients with rare diseases and specialty conditions.

Shire's global strength and expertise in both rare diseases and GI medicines,
coupled with NPS Pharma's rare disease capabilities, and our shared deep
commitment to serving the needs of patients, make this an excellent strategic
fit. Together, we aim to provide more patients and their families around the
world with much needed medicines and enhanced support services."

For further information please contact:

Investor Relations                                                          
                                                                            
Sarah Elton-Farr         seltonfarr@shire.com            +44 1256 894157    
                                                                            
                                                         +1 484 595 2220    
                                                                            
Media                                                                       
                                                                            
Stephanie Fagan          sfagan@shire.com                +1 201 572 9581    
                                                                            
Jessica Cotrone          jcotrone@shire.com              +1 781 482 9538    

NOTES TO EDITORS

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

Our strategy is to focus on developing and marketing innovative specialty
medicines to meet significant unmet patient needs.

We focus on providing treatments in Rare Diseases, Neuroscience,
Gastrointestinal and Internal Medicine and we are developing treatments for
symptomatic conditions treated by specialist physicians in other targeted
therapeutic areas, such as Ophthalmics.

www.shire.com

SHIRE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements included in this announcement 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, Shire's results could be materially
adversely affected. The risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited
to, that:

  * Shire's products may not be a commercial success;
   
  * product sales from ADDERALL XR and INTUNIV are subject to generic
    competition;
   
  * the failure to obtain and maintain reimbursement, or an adequate level of
    reimbursement, by third-party payers in a timely manner for Shire's
    products may affect future revenues, financial condition and results of
    operations;
   
  * Shire conducts its own manufacturing operations for certain of its products
    and is reliant on third party contract manufacturers to manufacture other
    products and to provide goods and services. Some of the Shire's products or
    ingredients are only available from a single approved source for
    manufacture. Any disruption to the supply chain for any of the Shire's
    products may result in Shire being unable to continue marketing or
    developing a product or may result in Shire being unable to do so on a
    commercially viable basis for some period of time;
   
  * the manufacture of Shire's products is subject to extensive oversight by
    various regulatory agencies. Regulatory approvals or interventions
    associated with changes to manufacturing sites, ingredients or
    manufacturing processes could lead to significant delays, an increase in
    operating costs, lost product sales, an interruption of research activities
    or the delay of new product launches;
   
  * Shire has a portfolio of products in various stages of research and
    development. The successful development of these products is highly
    uncertain and requires significant expenditures and time, and there is no
    guarantee that these products will receive regulatory approval;
   
  * the actions of certain customers could affect Shire's ability to sell or
    market products profitably. Fluctuations in buying or distribution patterns
    by such customers can adversely affect Shire's revenues, financial
    conditions or results of operations;
   
  * investigations or enforcement action by regulatory authorities or law
    enforcement agencies relating to Shire's activities in the highly regulated
    markets in which it operates may result in significant legal costs and the
    payment of substantial compensation or fines;
   
  * adverse outcomes in legal matters and other disputes, including Shire's
    ability to enforce and defend patents and other intellectual property
    rights required for its business, could have a material adverse effect on
    Shire's revenues, financial condition or results of operations;
   
  * Shire faces intense competition for highly qualified personnel from other
    companies and organizations. Shire is undergoing a corporate reorganization
    and was the subject of an unsuccessful acquisition proposal and the
    consequent uncertainty could adversely affect Shire's ability to attract
    and/or retain the highly skilled personnel needed for Shire to meet its
    strategic objectives;
   
  * failure to achieve Shire's strategic objectives with respect to the
    acquisition of NPS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. may adversely affect Shire's
    financial condition and results of operations,
   
and other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in Shire's filings
with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent
Annual Report on Form 10-K.

                                                                              

Registered in Jersey, No. 99854, 22 Grenville Street, St Helier, Jersey JE4 8PX


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