Holding in Company

Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC
18 October 2001



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE     18 October 2001




                  DECHRA PHARMACEUTICALS PLC (the 'Company')

                              Holding in Company


The Company received notification on 18 October 2001, in accordance with the
provisions of sections 198-202 Companies Act 1985 (as amended by the Companies
Act 1989), that Morley Fund Management Limited (a subsidiary of CGNU plc) and
its Group have an interest in 2,561,697 ordinary 1p shares in the Company,
which represents 5.14 per cent. of the Company's issued ordinary share
capital.