Virtual March Connects 'IBD Day on the Hill' Advocates in Washington, D.C. with Online Supporters

PHILADELPHIA, May 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Today the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) and Shire plc (LSE: SHP, Nasdaq: SHPGY) joined forces to launch the first-ever virtual "Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) March on the Hill." The free program calls on Facebook(R) users to help raise awareness of IBD and spurs funds for additional research of the disease.

To participate in the virtual "IBD March on the Hill," Facebook users can visit www.ibdmarchonthehill.com and, with the click of a mouse, take a virtual "step" around the National Mall in Washington, DC. Users will be asked to choose a unique shoe to place on the track and will see how their step has impacted the total number of steps taken to date. Shire will donate $1 per footstep to CCFA for research, education and support initiatives for each of the first 30,000 steps taken.

In addition to raising funds for IBD research, the virtual march gives those affected by IBD the opportunity to support the more than 75 patient advocates who are in Washington, DC today for CCFA's seventh National Advocacy Conference "IBD Day on the Hill." The advocates will meet with legislators to gain support for the IBD Research and Awareness Act.

"We are thrilled to extend our advocacy on the Hill to the online community," said Gary Sinderbrand, the chairman of CCFA's National Board of Trustees. "We have made it a point to provide a specific resource for the IBD patient community on Facebook through our new CCFA Facebook Page (http://apps.facebook.com/supportccfa) and now we're asking supporters to join us 'virtually' in DC. With this community support, we are one step closer to increasing education and research for IBD."

After the 30,000 steps have been reached, the program will continue to generate awareness of CCFA's efforts to rally advocates to increase awareness of IBD.

"We are excited to work with CCFA to launch an innovative program that engages IBD patients, friends and family members through social networking to increase IBD awareness and research," said Roger Adsett, senior vice president of Shire's gastrointestinal business unit. "We hope this program will continue to demonstrate our commitment to providing education to the IBD patient community and support for CCFA's advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill."

For more information on the virtual "IBD March on the Hill" or CCFA's "IBD Day on the Hill," visit www.ccfa.org.

For further information please contact:

    Media    Sarah McGee (GolinHarris)                        +1 312 729 4125
             Matthew Cabrey (Shire)                           +1 484 595 8248
             Ariella Levine (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation)    +1 646 943 7430

About Crohn's Disease & Ulcerative Colitis

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are painful, medically incurable illnesses that attack the digestive system. Crohn's disease may attack anywhere from the mouth to the anus, while ulcerative colitis inflames only the large intestine (colon). Symptoms may include abdominal pain, persistent diarrhea, rectal bleeding, fever and weight loss. Many patients require hospitalization and surgery. These illnesses can cause severe complications, including colon cancer in patients with long-term disease. Some 1.4 million American adults and children suffer from Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, with as many as 150,000 under the age of 18. Most people develop the diseases between the ages of 15 and 35.

About the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA)

The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America's mission is to cure Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and to improve the quality of life of children and adults affected by these diseases. The Foundation ranks third among leading health non-profits in the percentage of expense devoted to research toward a cure, with more than 81 cents of every dollar the Foundation spends going to mission-critical programs. The Foundation consistently meets the standards of organizations that monitor charities, including the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance (give.org) and the American Institute of Philanthropy (charitywatch.org). For more information, contact the Foundation at 800-932-2423 or visit www.ccfa.org.

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.

THE "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.

SOURCE Shire plc