Message to AbbVie Inc. employees

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION

For immediate release June 25, 2014

Message to AbbVie Inc. ("AbbVie") employees

Dear AbbVie Colleagues,

As we have said since our launch, we are focused on new ways to create long-term shareholder value and we evaluate opportunities to expand and augment our product portfolio, advance our pipeline and accelerate our growth. And over the past 18 months, we have made extraordinary progress, building a strong, sustainable long-term strategy for our business. We continue to drive our business growth and have made tremendous progress in building a robust, late-stage pipeline.

We have an opportunity to accelerate our growth and profitability - by combining with Ireland-based Shire, a global specialty biopharmaceuticals business focused on the fields of neuroscience, rare diseases, gastrointestinal medicine and other targeted therapeutic areas.

AbbVie and Shire together represent a strong and compelling combination, creating a larger and more diversified platform with significant financial capacity for future acquisitions, investment, enhanced shareholder distributions and value creation. The new company would have multiple leadership positions in immunology, rare diseases, virology, neuroscience, metabolic disease and emerging oncology.

The combination would result in accelerated growth for both companies by leveraging AbbVie's broad geographic footprint. We would utilize our commercial, regulatory, medical affairs and market access infrastructure to more rapidly and more cost effectively expand Shire's rare disease and neuroscience franchises. Additionally, we would have a broader and deeper pipeline, with more than 15 programs in Phase Three development or under regulatory review.

Despite our third offer to combine with Shire, which presented a significant premium, their management refuses to engage. AbbVie continues to be interested in engaging in discussions with Shire regarding this possible transaction. You can read our news release.

You may have heard that we intend to incorporate the merged business in Jersey, where Shire is currently incorporated, to make our company more competitive. I want you to know that we are committed to keeping our operational headquarters in Lake County. Furthermore, there will be no impact on jobs at AbbVie in Lake County.

Because all of our actions and communications are now guided by UK Takeover Code, we will be very limited in what we can say and when we can say it - both internally and externally. I will keep you posted as appropriate.

I know that it's easy to get distracted as the combination strategy plays out, but I ask AbbVie colleagues around the world to stay focused on delivering our business commitments, just as you all did so exceptionally as we prepared for our separation from Abbott.

As always, thank you for all of your hard work, dedication and effort in creating AbbVie. Your work has made it possible for our biopharmaceutical company to operate from a position of strength as we propose this combination, which has the potential to make a remarkable impact on the lives of greater numbers of patients around the world.

Best regards,

Rick

Responsibility Statement

The directors of AbbVie accept responsibility for the information contained in this document and, to the best of their knowledge and belief (having taken all reasonable care to ensure that such is the case), the information contained in this document is in accordance with the facts and it does not omit anything likely to affect the import of such information

Disclosure requirements of the Code

Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of an offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the offer period and, if later, following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a securities exchange offeror prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead make a Dealing Disclosure.

Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the dealing concerned and of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror, save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the business day following the date of the relevant dealing.

Disclosures are therefore required in the shares of AbbVie and Shire.

If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an interest in relevant securities of an offeree company or a securities exchange offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3.

Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company and by any offeror

and Dealing Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company, by any offeror and by any persons acting in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4).

Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose relevant securities Opening Position Disclosures and Dealing Disclosures must be made can be found in the Disclosure Table on the Takeover Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk, including details of the number of relevant securities in issue, when the offer period commenced and when any offeror was first identified. You should contact the Takeover Panel's Market Surveillance Unit on +44 (0)20 7638 0129 if you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing Disclosure.

Forward-Looking Statements

This announcement contains certain forward-looking statements with respect to a possible combination involving AbbVie and Shire. The words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project" and similar expressions, among others, generally identify forward-looking statements. AbbVie cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the possibility that a possible combination will not be pursued, failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals or required financing or to satisfy any of the other conditions to the possible combination if it is made, adverse effects on the market price of AbbVie's common stock and on AbbVie's operating results because of a failure to complete the possible combination, failure to realise the expected benefits of the possible combination, negative effects relating to the announcement of the possible combination or any further announcements relating to the possible combination or the consummation of the possible combination on the market price of AbbVie's common stock, significant transaction costs and/or unknown liabilities, general economic and business conditions that affect the combined companies following the consummation of the possible combination, changes in global, political, economic, business, competitive, market and regulatory forces, future exchange and interest rates, changes in tax laws, regulations, rates and policies, future business combinations or disposals and competitive developments. These forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions and assessments made by AbbVie in light of its experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, business strategies, operating environment, future developments and other factors it believes appropriate. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. The factors described in the context of such forward-looking statements in this announcement could cause AbbVie's plans with respect to Shire, actual results, performance or achievements, industry results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although it is believed that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, no assurance can be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct and persons reading this announcement are therefore cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements which speak only as at the date of this announcement. Additional information about economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect AbbVie is set forth in Item 1A, "Risk Factors," in AbbVie's 2013 Annual Report on Form 10-K, which has been filed with United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), the contents of which are not incorporated by reference into, nor do they form part of, this announcement. AbbVie undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements as a result of subsequent events or developments, except as required by law.

Additional Information

This document is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell, or an invitation to subscribe for, purchase or exchange, any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, nor shall there be any sale, issuance, exchange or transfer of the securities referred to in this document in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law. Subject to future developments, AbbVie may file a registration statement and/or tender offer documents with the SEC in connection with a combination. Holders of Shire plc and/or AbbVie shares should read those filings, and any other filings made by AbbVie with the SEC in connection with the combination, as they will contain important information. Those documents, if and when filed, as well as AbbVie's other public filings with the SEC may be obtained without charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov and at AbbVie's website at www.abbvieinvestor.com.

This announcement has been prepared in accordance with English law and the Code and information disclosed may not be the same as that which would have been prepared in accordance with the laws of jurisdictions outside England.

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