Licenses acquisition

Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC
05 April 2005



Issued by Citigate Dewe Rogerson Limited, Birmingham
Date: Tuesday 5th April 2005

                                                               Embargoed: 7.00am



                           Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC

                      Dechra acquires veterinary licenses
                            for critical care fluids


Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC ('Dechra' or the 'Group') today announces that it has
acquired the licenses and goodwill for the UK and Eire in respect of the Vetivex
range of veterinary licensed products used for fluid therapy from Gambro
Northern Ireland Limited, a division of the Gambro BCT, Inc. organisation and a
subsidiary of Gambro AB. Gambro BCT, Inc. is a business area within Gambro AB,
which is a leading international medical technology and healthcare company.

The Vetivex critical care sterile fluid range administered by intravenous
infusion is used to address dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and metabolic
acidosis in companion animals, equine and livestock. The Vetivex range of seven
licensed products will continue to be manufactured by Ivex Pharmaceuticals in
Northern Ireland on behalf of Dechra. In 2004, the Vetivex range of products
achieved sales in excess of £1 million.

Dechra will pay a cash consideration of £810,000 for the licenses and goodwill.

Ian Page, Chief Executive, Dechra Pharmaceuticals said:

'The market for fluid replacement therapy has seen consistent growth over recent
years. We believe that we can significantly improve the existing market
penetration and profitability of the Vetivex range in this highly specialised
sector through exploiting Arnold's critical care expertise and dedicated
pharmaceutical sales team focus.'

Current trading within the Dechra Group remains encouraging with continued good
performance from both our Pharmaceuticals and Services divisions.




Enquiries:
Ian Page, Chief Executive                     Fiona Tooley, Director
Simon Evans, Group Finance Director           Katie Dale, Senior Account
                                              Manager
Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC                    Citigate Dewe Rogerson
Tel: + 44 (0) 1782 771100                     Tel: [phone]
Mobile: [phone] (IP) or 07775 642220     Mobile: [phone] (FMT)
(SE)
www.dechra.com
----------------

Editors Notes:

About Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC
www.dechra.com
Dechra Pharmaceuticals are specialists in the UK and international veterinary
and animal healthcare markets. Key to the Group's strategy is the development of
its veterinary pharmaceuticals portfolio. Quoted on the London Stock Exchange
(under pharmaceuticals and biotech: Reuters: DPH.L), the business is split into
two divisions: the pharmaceutical division which includes Arnolds Veterinary
Products ('Arnolds'), Dales Pharmaceuticals ('Dales') and Dechra Veterinary
Products ('DVP') (USA) and the services division which includes National
Veterinary Services ('NVS'), NationWide Laboratories ('NWL'), Cambridge
Specialist Laboratory Services ('CSLS') and Vetcom Practice Management Systems
('Vetcom').

Arnolds Veterinary Products
Arnolds is one of the most well respected and recognised brand names in the
veterinary markets and holds a leading position in several specialist veterinary
pharmaceutical sectors of the UK market such as endocrinology, local anaesthesia
and equine anti-inflammatory with strong positions in several other companion
animal sectors. Its pipeline in product development remains centred around:
cardiology, endocrinology, respiratory and oncology.

About Gambro AB
www.gambrobct.com
Gambro BCT, Inc. headquartered in Lakewood, Colorado, is a world leader in blood
bank technologies, automated blood collections and processing, pathogen
reduction techniques and valued added blood and cell-based therapeutic services.
Gambro BCT operates production facilities in the US and the UK, and has sales in
more than 90 countries. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Gambro AB, a global
medical technology and healthcare company.




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