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High Court grants injunction to protect shareholders against animal extremists

10 May 2006

Last night GSK successfully secured an injunction against unknown animal rights extremists from further contacting or harassing GSK private shareholders. This means that threats to publish shareholders' personal details on any website is prohibited, as is any further contact by letter or approach. Any person found in breach of the injunction could face prosecution for contempt of court which is an imprisonable offence.

JP Garnier our CEO commented; "I applaud the resilience of our shareholders in the face of this intimidation. Their courage, integrity and resilience are qualities not recognisable in this small group of extremists who have acted in this deplorable way. As a Company we have become used to these offensive gestures, but this attack on our shareholders represents a new variation of intimidation and harassment. I have though been heartened by the response of our shareholders. Their courage safeguards their democratic right to invest in our company. It also epitomises the changing nature of the debate on animal research in this country."

We are determined to make every effort to protect our shareholders and this injunction supports those efforts being made by the Police, who are taking this matter very seriously and are conducting a criminal investigation into these matters.

Over 160 private investors have called us since Monday and we are speaking with all of them to offer assurance and inform them of the actions we are taking.

Statement and advice to GlaxoSmithKline shareholders on animal extremist letter campaign

8 May 2006

A campaign has been initiated by an animal rights extremist group, demanding that GSK private shareholders sell any shares they hold in the Company. This letter campaign is a typical tactic used by these extremists and is intended to cause fear and intimidation.

We are very concerned that individuals have been targeted in this way, and condemn the group responsible. 

We would like to reassure shareholders that the following immediate actions have been taken:

• The police have been informed and that they are taking the matter seriously, and have started an investigation
• We are responding to all enquiries including the press, and a copy of our statement has been made available on this website

If you are a shareholder who has received a letter, we recommend that you take the following actions:

• Place the letter, together with the original envelope, inside a clean envelope which you should keep in a safe place for later collection by the police.
• Minimise any handling of the letter and envelope and be careful not to overwrite or cause indentations.
• Report the matter to your local police station using the public enquiry system (not through the emergency service).
• When notifying the police, tell them that your call is a “first report” to police, that the letter is part of an animal rights extremist national campaign designed to cause economic damage to GSK and ask for a police report reference number.  Also, advise the police that the matter is being coordinated by the police National Domestic Extremism Team.
• You are strongly advised NOT to respond to the letter or the email address provided.
• Shareholders wishing to protect their privacy can either transfer their shares, free of charge, into the GSK Corporate Nominee Service, details of which are available from the Company’s Registrars, Equiniti Limited (0871 384 2991 -
  Calls to this number are charged at 8p per minute from a BT landline. Other telephony providers' costs may vary. ) or, contact their broker to hold their shares in a nominee account.

For ethical, regulatory and scientific reasons, research using animals remains a small but vital part of the research and development of new medicines and vaccines. Animals are only used where no alternative is available and our scientists constantly strive to reduce the numbers used. We aim to exceed industry standards in the care and welfare of the animals it uses.

We support legitimate animal welfare concerns, and the law abiding organisations that represent them, such as the (RSPCA) Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

We deplore long-term campaign of violence, intimidation and harassment against employees, their families and people associated with the Company. Since 1998 numerous allegations have been made against Huntingdon Life Sciences. These have all been investigated by the regulators (US Department of Agriculture or UK Home Office) and no action has been taken against HLS. HLS are not currently under investigation by the Home Office or the US Department of Agriculture for any breaches of regulations.

We will continue to work with HLS as long as they continue to meet their current high standards of animal welfare in line with Home Office requirements. We conduct regular and detailed monitoring of any studies placed with HLS to help ensure that the standards set in place are maintained.

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