RNS Number:2076J
Oxford Glycosciences PLC
26 March 2003

26 March 2003



Not for release, publication or distribution in, into or from Australia, Canada
or Japan


               OXFORD GLYCOSCIENCES PLC ("OGS" or the "Company")

                          UPDATE ON MERGER DISCUSSIONS


Further to its announcement on 23 March, OGS confirms today that it has
commenced discussions with three further interested parties regarding a
potential offer for the Company, in addition to the offers made for the Company
by Cambridge Antibody Technology Group plc ("CAT") and Celltech Group plc
("Celltech"). Reflecting the level of their interest, each of these three
parties has entered into a non-disclosure agreement with OGS to enable them to
carry out due diligence on the Company. The interested parties comprise an
international pharmaceutical company, a US based biotechnology company and a
European private equity house.


OGS expects the discussions to reach conclusion in the second week of April. In
the light of these developments, the OGS Board* recommends that shareholders
take no action in relation to the Celltech offer. OGS also notes Celltech's
announcement on 24 March affirming that its holding in OGS would not prevent a
bidder acquiring the Company via a scheme of arrangement.


Commenting, David Ebsworth PhD, CEO of OGS, said  "We have previously promised
our shareholders that we will seek the best value that we can for them and in
doing so are seeking to have discussions with all interested parties. We have
made progress, confirmed by today's announcement that each of these three
interested parties have entered into a non-disclosure agreement with OGS."


                                     -Ends-


For further information please contact:


Oxford GlycoSciences Plc                                 +44 (0) 1235 208 000
David Ebsworth, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer


Goldman Sachs International                              +44 (0) 20 7774 1000
Michael Hill
Basil Geoghegan
Phil Raper (Corporate Broking)


Financial Dynamics                                       +44 (0) 20 7831 3113
UK Media and Investors
Tim Spratt
Melanie Toyne-Sewell


US Media and Investors                                   +1 212 850 5626
Leslie Wolf-Creutzfeldt
Deborah Ardern Jones


Goldman Sachs International is acting for OGS and for no-one else in connection
with this announcement and will not be responsible to any other person for
providing the protections afforded to clients of Goldman Sachs International or
for providing advice in relation to the offer from Celltech, the merger with CAT
or the contents of this announcement.


The directors of OGS accept responsibility for the information contained in this
announcement.  To the best of the knowledge and belief of the directors of OGS
(who have taken all reasonable care to ensure that such is the case), the
information contained in this announcement is in accordance with the facts and
does not omit anything likely to affect the import of such information.*


*Dr Donald Drakeman, a director of OGS, is also the Chief Executive Officer of
Medarex Inc, a competitor of CAT, and therefore did not participate in decisions
of the OGS Board relating to the merger with CAT.  Given this conflict, he has
also not participated and does not propose to participate in discussions
relating to any competing offer for OGS.  Accordingly, Dr Drakeman has abstained
from OGS Board discussions of, and advice to OGS shareholders relating to, the
offer from Celltech and is not taking responsibility for the views or advice of
the Board on the merger with CAT or the offer from Celltech.


Shareholders can obtain a free copy of this and any other documents filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission at the SEC's website (www.sec.gov).


This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or invitation to purchase
any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction.


The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in certain
jurisdictions may be restricted by law and therefore persons in such
jurisdictions into which this announcement is released, published or distributed
should inform themselves about and observe such restrictions.


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

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