RNS Number:4979J
Skyepharma PLC
01 April 2003


Immediate Release                                                   1 April 2003



                         SkyePharma PLC ("the Company")



As a result of transactions on 31 March 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 5,532 Ordinary Shares of
the company, bringing the total held by the Plan to 52,289 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 Shares   Matching Shares      Total number of   
                       purchased on 31     awarded on 31       Partnership and   
                        March 2003 at      March 2003 at    Matching Shares held 
                      #0.50 per share     #0.50 per share     on 31 March 2003.  

Ian Gowrie-Smith           250                250                 1,054        

Michael Ashton             250                250                 6,484        

Donald Nicholson           250                250                 6,484      
                                               


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.



                                    - Ends-




                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END

MSCSSFFIFSDSEEL