PHILADELPHIA, November 10, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Shire plc , the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, announces that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has affirmed the ruling of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to grant five-year New Chemical Entity exclusivity to lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, currently marketed by Shire U.S. Inc. under the name VYVANSE(R).

The five-year exclusivity period for VYVANSE expires on February 23, 2012. VYVANSE is further protected by United States patents, the first of which expires on June 29, 2023. As a result of this confirmation of VYVANSE's NCE status, generic manufacturers cannot submit an ANDA to FDA until February 23, 2011 at the earliest.

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: http://www.shire.com.

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 Pharmaceutical and Human Genetic Therapies products, as well as the ability to secure and integrate 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: Investor Relations Eric Rojas erojas@shire.com +1-781-482-0999 Media Jessica Mann jmann@shire.com +44-1256894-280 Matthew Cabrey mcabrey@shire.com +1-484-595-8248

SOURCE: Shire plc

CONTACT: For further information please contact: Investor Relations: EricRojas erojas@shire.com, +1-781-482-0999; Media: Jessica Mannjmann@shire.com, +44-1256-894-280; Matthew Cabrey mcabrey@shire.com,+1-484-595-8248.