New Board Appointment

NEW BOARD APPOINTMENT AT UNITED DRUG PLC

The Board of United Drug plc (the 'Company') is today pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Chris Brinsmead as a non-executive director of the Company with immediate effect.

Mr. Brinsmead was Chairman of AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals UK from April 2008 to 31 March 2010 and was President of AstraZeneca UK from January 2002 to April 2008. Prior to this he held various senior global marketing and management roles with AstraZeneca, formerly with Zeneca and ICI Pharmaceuticals.

Mr. Brinsmead is President of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) and will remain in this position until the conclusion of his tenure on 27 April 2010. Mr. Brinsmead is a Civil Engineering graduate from Nottingham University and holds a Masters in Business Science from Manchester Business School.

Ends Monday, 12 April 2010

For reference:

Karen Geoghegan Pauline McAlester

Company Secretary Murray Consultants

Tel: + 353-1-4632300 Tel: + 353-1-4980300

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, Sweden and the USA. 

The Company operates across three divisions, Healthcare Supply Chain, Packaging & Speciality Services, and Contract Sales & Marketing Services.

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 Packaging & Speciality 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.

In the Contract Sales & Marketing Services 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.

For more information go to www.united-drug.ie 

This announcement has been issued through the Companies Announcement Service of

The Irish Stock Exchange.