Elan Corporation PLC - Appointment

RNS No 5768d
ELAN CORPORATION PLC
11th December 1997

ELAN ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF MARY PRENDERGAST AS HEAD OF
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS


DUBLIN, IRELAND, December 11, 1997 - Elan Corporation plc (NYSE: ELN) ("Elan")
announced today the appointment of Mary K. Prendergast, J.G., LL.M., to the
newly created position of Executive Vice President - Government Affairs,
effective January 5, 1998.

Mary Prendergast joins Elan from the United States Food and Drug
Administration ("FDA"), a leading U.S. regulatory agency, where she was Deputy
Commissioner/Senior Advisor to the Commissioner.  As the FDAs "crisis
manager", Ms Prendergast handled sensitive, critical and precedent-setting
situations relating to FDA programs, strategies and activities.  Furthermore,
she led the agencys efforts to re-evaluate its regulation of emerging
scientific areas, such as biotechnology, cellular and tissue-based therapy,
xenotransplantation, genetic testing and acute care research.

Prior to her position as Deputy Commission/Senior Advisor to the Commissioner,
Ms Prendergast was an Associate Chief Counsel for enforcement in the Office of
the General Counsel, FDA.  Before joining the FDA, she was an attorney in the
Office of the General Counsel, Department of Health and Human Services.  In
her new position, Ms Prendergast will be based in Washington, D.C. and will
report directly to Donal Geaney, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Elan.

"We are delighted that Mary Prendergast has decided to join our management
team", commented Mr Geaney.  "As we continue to grow, it is imperative to
manage the corporations interaction with government agencies and legislative
bodies and develop the companys profile in the regulatory community.  Ms
Prendergasts extensive experience with the FDA coupled with the considerable
knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry will be of great value to Elan in its
dealings with government agencies in the United States and in international
markets".

Mary Prendergast received her B.A. degree from Northwestern University in 1972
and her J.D. degree summa cum laude from the University of Iowa, College of
Law, in 1976.  She was a fellow in constitutional law at Yale Law School,
where she received her LL.M degree in 1977.

Elan is a leading worldwide drug delivery and biopharmaceutical company, with
its principal research and manufacturing facilities in Ireland, the United
States and Israel.  Elans shares trade on the New York, London and Dublin
Stock Exchanges.

Contact:

Donal Geaney                           Mary Bingham
Chairman & CEO                         Director - Investor Relations
Ph:  353-1-709-4628                    Ph:  212-755-3218


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