Chairman to Retire/Appointment of Chairman Designa

Chairman to Retire/Appointment of Chairman Designate

Dublin, London, 3 January 2012: United Drug plc ('United Drug' or 'the Company') announces that Mr. Ronnie Kells, who has been a Non-Executive Director of the Company since 1999 and Chairman for the last six years, will retire from the Board following the conclusion of the Company's Annual General Meeting on 7 February 2012.

Mr. Peter Gray, who has been a Non-Executive Director of the Company since 2004 will succeed Mr. Kells as Chairman. Mr. Gray is Vice Chairman and former Chief Executive of ICON plc and is also a Non-Executive Director of Danica Life Limited.

Liam FitzGerald, Chief Executive, said:

"Ronnie has been an outstanding Non-Executive Director and more latterly Chairman of United Drug. Under Ronnie's Chairmanship United Drug has continued to expand internationally and has developed considerably as a public company.

On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Ronnie for his immeasurable contribution and for being an outstanding ambassador for United Drug and wish him well for the future.

On a separate note, the Board greatly welcomes the appointment of Peter as incoming Chairman. Peter has served on the United Drug Board for seven years and has chaired the Audit Committee since 2008."

Ends

For reference:

Karen Geoghegan

Company Secretary

Tel: +353-1-4632300 

About United Drug plc

Listed on the Stock Exchanges in London and Dublin, United Drug is a leading international provider of services to healthcare manufacturers and pharmaceutical retailers, with operations in the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium and the US.

The Company operates across three divisions, Healthcare Supply Chain, Sales, Marketing & Medical and Packaging & Specialty.

In Healthcare Supply Chain, United Drug is the largest pharmaceutical wholesaler in the island of Ireland. It is also the market leader in contract distribution outsourcing (pre-wholesaling) in Ireland and has achieved the No. 1 position in the UK through its joint venture business UniDrug Distribution Group (UDG). The Company provides specials medicines manufacturing and distribution services in the UK. Through its medical & scientific operations, United Drug provides sales & marketing and technical service solutions, including contract distribution services to a wide range of medical & scientific equipment & consumable manufacturers, with a market leading position in Ireland and an emerging presence in the UK.

In the Sales, Marketing & Medical division, United Drug is the leading provider of contract sales outsourcing services to pharmaceutical manufacturers in the UK and Ireland and has a growing presence in the US market. United Drug also provides related marketing services to pharmaceutical manufacturers in each of these markets.

In the Packaging & Specialty division United Drug is a leading international provider of pharmaceutical contract packaging services with facilities in the US, UK, Dutch and Belgian markets. The Company also provides speciality distribution and homecare services in the UK and Ireland.

Further information on United Drug plc is available on the Group's website,

www.united-drug.com.

This announcement has been issued through the Companies Announcement Service of

The Irish Stock Exchange