Shire Introduces First and Only iPhone(R) Application for Patients With Type 1 Gaucher Disease

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Shire plc (LSE: SHP, Nasdaq: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, today announced the availability of the OnePath(SM) Gaucher Application (app). The first and only application developed specifically for patients in the U.S. with Type 1 Gaucher disease, it is free and ready for download at the iTunes Application store. The OnePath Gaucher app is the first in a suite of iPhone applications in development by Shire that are designed specifically to help meet the needs of patients with rare diseases.

"Twenty years ago patients with a rare disease had to search through a public library to learn about their condition," said Rhonda Buyers, CEO / Executive Director, National Gaucher Foundation (NGF). "While the rare disease community is still underserved, the advent of technology has created opportunities to build disease awareness and help patients better manage their condition. It is exciting to see a company like Shire understand those needs and develop tools that make it easier for patients to connect."

The first of Shire's service and support applications is the OnePath Gaucher Application, which is now available and offers the following for patients:

• I-Gau™ (pronounced i    go): empowers patients with Type 1 Gaucher disease to monitor the progress of their individual therapeutic goals by enabling patients to input data and track changes in disease manifestations including hemoglobin, bone data, spleen and liver volumes, as well as platelet counts.
• Access to personalized OnePath Case Managers: patients are given online access to communicate, via email, one-on-one with service and support representatives.
• News Feed: provides updates on news relevant to their condition.
• Treatment Calendar: helps patients keep track of their treatment schedule, including physician and infusion appointments.

"The availability of Shire's OnePath iPhone application is a direct result of feedback we sought from patients through patient teleconferences and in-person advisory meetings regarding how we could better serve the Gaucher community," said Theresa Heggie, SVP, Global Commercial Operations, Shire HGT. "The development of new offerings like the OnePath application is part of Shire's goal to provide tools and services to empower patients."

This summer, a second phase of the iPhone Gaucher app will be introduced specifically for treating physicians in the U.S.

This application, designed by Shire, is compatible with any iPhone or iPod touch® that users own with operating system version 3.0. An online / internet browser version of this application will be available soon.

About Gaucher Disease

Gaucher disease is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the GBA gene which results in a deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme beta-glucocerebrosidase. This enzymatic deficiency causes an accumulation of glucocerebroside, primarily in macrophages. In this lysosomal storage disorder (LSD), clinical features are reflective of the distribution of Gaucher cells in the liver, spleen, bone marrow, and other organs. The accumulation of glucocerebrosidase in the liver and spleen leads to organomegaly. Presence of Gaucher cells in the bone marrow and spleen lead to clinically significant anemia and thrombocytopenia.

Gaucher disease is the most prevalent of the lysosomal storage disorders diseases. Gaucher disease has classically been categorized into 3 clinical types. Type 1 Gaucher disease is characterized by variability in signs, symptoms, severity, and progression. Type 1 is the most common and is distinguished from Type 2 and Type 3 by the lack of early neurological symptoms.

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.

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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.

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SOURCE Shire plc