Shire Receives US$248 Million Cash Refund From the Canadian Revenue Authorities, Expects a Further US$162 Million in Late 2014

DUBLIN, June 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

Shire plc ("Shire" or the "Company") (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPG) announces that its Canadian subsidiary⁽¹⁾ has received assessments from the Canadian revenue authorities, entitling it to total cash refunds equivalent to US$410 million⁽²⁾.

Following receipt of the assessments⁽³⁾, the Company has recorded a net credit to income taxes amounting to US$216 million. This income tax credit will be excluded from Non GAAP income, and will not impact Shire's Non GAAP core effective tax rate in 2014.

The assessments do not impact the Company's current or future income tax profile.

Shire intends to use the cash receipts to repay debt, providing Shire with increased capacity to invest in focussed business development activities.

References: 

⁽¹⁾ Shire Canada Inc ("Shire Canada")

⁽²⁾ On June 24, 2014 Shire Canada received cash refunds of C$266 million (US$248 million). As a result of the assessments, Shire Canada is entitled to receive additional cash refunds of C$174 million (US$162 million), expected in late 2014. All amounts in this release have been translated using a C$:US$ exchange rate of 1:0.93, being the exchange rate on June 24, 2014.

⁽³⁾ The assessments agreed with original positions adopted by Shire Canada  in its Canadian tax returns for the period 1999-2004. 

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

http://www.shire.com

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS - "SAFE HARBOR" STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995 

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 products may not be a commercial success;
• revenues from ADDERALL XR are subject to generic erosion and revenues from INTUNIV will become subject to generic competition starting in December 2014;
• the failure to obtain and maintain reimbursement, or an adequate level of reimbursement, by third-party payors in a timely manner for Shire's products may impact future revenues, financial condition and results of operations;
• Shire conducts its own manufacturing operations for certain of its Rare Diseases products and is reliant on third party contractors to manufacture other products and to provide goods and services. Some of Shire's products or ingredients are only available from a single approved source for manufacture. Any disruption to the supply chain for any of Shire's products may result in the 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 development, approval and manufacturing of Shire's products is subject to extensive oversight by various regulatory agencies. Submission of an application for regulatory approval of any of our product candidates, such as our planned submission of a New Drug Application to the FDA for Lifitegrast as a treatment for the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease in adults, may be delayed for any number of reasons and, once submitted, may be subjected to lengthy review and ultimately rejected. Moreover, regulatory approvals or interventions associated with changes to manufacturing sites, ingredients or manufacturing processes could lead to significant delays, increase in operating costs, lost product sales, an interruption of research activities or the delay of new product launches;
• 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 impact 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 the distraction of senior management, 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, academic institutions, government entities and other organizations. Shire is undergoing a corporate reorganization and the consequent uncertainty could adversely impact 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 ViroPharma Incorporated 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 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.

For further information please contact:

Investor Relations
Jeff Poulton
jpoulton@shire.com
+1-781-482-0945

Sarah Elton-Farr
seltonfarr@shire.com
+44-1256-894157

Media
Stephanie Fagan
sfagan@shire.com
+1-201-572-9581