Shire PLC : ViroPharma acquisition - OFT condition waived by Shire

Shire waives OFT condition relating to the acquisition of ViroPharma Inc.

Dublin, Ireland - January 15, 2014 - Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPG)
announces that it has waived the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) approval
condition to the announced tender offer for all of the outstanding shares of
ViroPharma Incorporated (NASDAQ: VPHM).

As a result of the waiver, the transaction is no longer conditional on OFT
approval, and Shire expects to plete the tender offer on January 24, 2014
following the currently scheduled expiration time, subject to the satisfaction
of all of the remaining conditions to the tender offer. The waiting period
under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 (HSR) expired on
December 10, 2013.

The tender offer is scheduled to expire at midnight, New York City time, on
Thursday, January 23, 2014 (one minute after 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on
January 23, 2014).

For further information please contact:

Investor Relations

Eric Rojas                              erojas@shire.     [phone]

Sarah Elton-Farr                        seltonfarr@shire. [phone]

Media

Jessica Mann                            jmann@shire.      [phone]

Gwen Fisher                             gfisher@shire.    [phone]

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 provide treatments in Neuroscience, Rare Diseases, Gastrointestinal,
Internal Medicine and Regenerative Medicine and we are developing treatments
for symptomatic conditions treated by specialist physicians in other targeted
therapeutic areas.

www.shire.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND WHERE TO FIND IT

This announcement is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an
offer to purchase or a solicitation of an offer to sell ViroPharma mon
stock. The offer to buy ViroPharma mon stock is being made pursuant to a
tender offer statement (including the offer to purchase, letter of transmittal
and other related tender offer materials) filed by Shire Pharmaceutical
Holdings Ireland Limited (SPHIL) and a subsidiary of SPHIL with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on November 25, 2013.  In addition, on
November 25, 2013, ViroPharma filed with the SEC a solicitation/remendation
statement on Schedule 14D-9 with respect to the tender offer.  Investors and
security holders are urged to read both the tender offer statement and the
solicitation/remendation statement as they contain important information,
including the terms and conditions of the tender offer, that should be read
carefully before any decision is made with respect to the tender offer.
 Investors and security holders may obtain a free copy of these materials and
other documents filed by SPHIL and ViroPharma with the SEC at the website
maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov/. The tender offer statement and
related materials, and the solicitation/remendation statement, may also be
obtained for free by contacting the information agent for the offer, MacKenzie
Partners, Inc., at [phone] or toll-free at [phone].

Copies of these materials and any documentation relating to the tender offer
are not being, and must not be, directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise
forwarded, distributed or sent in, into or from any jurisdiction where to do so
would be unlawful.

FORWARD - LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements included in this announcement that are not historical facts are
forward-looking statements. 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 proposed acquisition of ViroPharma may not be consummated due to
    the occurrence of an event, change or other circumstances that gives rise
    to the termination of the merger agreement;

  * a governmental or regulatory approval required for the proposed acquisition
    of ViroPharma may not obtained, or may be obtained subject to conditions
    that are not anticipated, or another condition to the closing of the
    proposed acquisition may not be satisfied;

  * ViroPharma may be unable to retain and hire key personnel and/or maintain
    its relationships with customers, suppliers and other business partners
    pending the consummation of the proposed acquisition by Shire, or
    ViroPharma's business may be disrupted by the proposed acquisition,
    including increased costs and diversion of management time and resources;
    and

  * difficulties in integrating ViroPharma into Shire may lead to the bined
    pany not being able to realize the expected operating efficiencies, cost
    savings, revenue enhancements, synergies or other benefits at the time
    anticipated or at all;

and other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in Shire's or
ViroPharma's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission,
including their respective most recent Annual Reports on Form 10-K.

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

Press Release

www.shire.