RNS Number:2106L
Acambis PLC
16 May 2003





Directors' shareholdings



Cambridge, UK - 16 May 2003 - Acambis plc ("Acambis") (LSE: ACM, NASDAQ: ACAM)
announces a number of transactions involving Directors' shareholdings in
Acambis.



On 15 May 2003, Dr John Brown, Chief Executive Officer, exercised options over a
total of 441,153 shares, 91,153 at 174p per share and 350,000 at 97p per share.
At the same time, he sold 271,300 of these shares at 316p per share in order to
fund the immediate income tax liability arising and the cost of exercising the
options. Following these transactions, Dr Brown's shareholding in Acambis
increased from 309,893 to 479,746 shares representing approximately 0.46% of
Acambis' issued ordinary share capital, of which 4,648 shares are held by the
Trustees of Acambis Employees' Trust on behalf of Dr Brown.



On 15 May 2003, Nicolas Higgins, Chief Business Officer, exercised options over
a total of 319,348 shares, 80,513 at 174p per share and 238,835 at 97p per
share. At the same time, he sold 198,425 of these shares at 316p per share in
order to fund the immediate income tax liability arising and the cost of
exercising the options. Following these transactions, also on 15 May 2003, Mr
Higgins transferred the balance of 120,923 shares into his wife's name, Mrs
Jennifer Higgins, a connected person. On 16 May, Mr Higgins sold 150,000 shares,
registered in his own name, at 318p per share. After these transactions, the
shareholdings in Acambis held by Mr Higgins and his wife had decreased from
205,978 to 176,901 shares, representing approximately 0.17% of Acambis' issued
ordinary share capital.



On 14 May 2003, Dr Thomas Monath, Chief Scientific Officer, exercised options
over a total of 84,529 shares at 36p per share. At the same time, he sold 64,529
of these shares at 319p per share in part to fund the cost of exercising the
options and the tax liability thereon. Following these transactions, the
shareholding in Acambis held by Dr Monath increased to 20,000 shares,
representing approximately 0.02% of Acambis' issued ordinary share capital.

                                     -ends-



Enquiries:



Acambis plc

Elizabeth Brown, Company Secretary                   Tel: +44 (0) 1223 275 300

Lyndsay Wright, Director of Communications









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