Holding in Company

Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC
24 April 2001



TO: CITY EDITORS      24th April, 2001

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



                  Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC (the 'Company')

                            Holding in the Company

The Company received notification on 23 April 2001, in accordance with the
provisions of sections 198-202 Companies Act 1985 (as amended by the Companies
Act 1989), that Zurich Financial Services and its Group have an interest in
2,147,300 ordinary 1p shares in the Company, which represents 4.3 per cent. of
the Company's issued ordinary share capital.