RNS Number:2491O
Skyepharma PLC
01 August 2003



Immediate Release                                                 1 August 2003


                         SkyePharma PLC ("the Company")

As a result of transactions on 31 July 2003 by the SkyePharma PLC Share Purchase
Plan (an Inland Revenue approved all employee share purchase plan), Michael
Ashton and Donald Nicholson, directors of the Company, as trustees of the Plan,
became the beneficial owners of an additional 5,000 Ordinary Shares of the
Company, bringing the total held by the Plan to 72,626 Ordinary Shares of the
Company.

As a result the executive directors of the Company have the following additional
interests as a result of their personal participation in the Plan:-

                   Partnership        Matching           Total number of
                   Shares purchased   Shares awarded     Partnership and
                   on 31 July 2003    on 31 July         Matching Shares held
                   at #0.6625 per     2003 at #0.6625    on 31 July 2003.
                   share.             per share.

Ian Gowrie-Smith          188                188                  2,754
Michael Ashton            189                189                  8,184
Donald Nicholson          189                189                  8,184


In accordance with the rules of the Plan these directors have been awarded the
Matching Shares on the basis of one Matching Share for each Partnership Share.

The beneficial ownership of the Matching Shares will pass to the directors in
three years time subject to continued employment and the retention of the
underlying Partnership Shares.

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