UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13G
(Rule 13d-1,2)
INFORMATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO RULES 13D-1 AND RULES 13D-2
UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
(AMENDMENT NO. 1)*
British Biotech plc
(Name of Issuer)
Common Stock
(Title Of Class of Securities)
110515103**
(CUSIP Number)
*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities,
and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter
the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the
Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see
the Notes).
**The CUSIP number provided is assigned to the American Depository Shares
representing the shares of common stock of the Issuer. The positions
reported herein by the Reporting Persons are held in the form of ordinary
shares of common stock.
- ----------------------------------
CUSIP NO. 110515103 13G
- ----------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
Mercury Asset Management Group plc
- -------------------------------------------------------------
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* Joint Filing
(a) [ ]
(b) [ ]
- -------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC USE ONLY
- -------------------------------------------------------------
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
England
- -------------------------------------------------------------
5 SOLE VOTING POWER
None
NUMBER OF ------------------------------------------------
SHARES 6 SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY 73,410,163
EACH
REPORTING -------------------------------------------------
PERSON WITH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
None
- -------------------------------------------------
8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
73,410,163
- ------------------------------------------ --------------------
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
73,410,163
- ------------------------------------------- -------------------
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*
[ ]
- ---------------------------------------------------------------
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
11.12%
- ---------------------------------------------------------------
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
IA, HC
- --------------------------------------------------------------
*SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT!
- ----------------------------------
CUSIP NO. 110515103 13G
- ----------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
Mercury Asset Management plc
- -------------------------------------------------------------
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* Joint Filing
(a) [ ]
(b) [ ]
- -------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC USE ONLY
- -------------------------------------------------------------
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
England
- -------------------------------------------------------------
5 SOLE VOTING POWER
None
NUMBER OF ------------------------------------------------
SHARES 6 SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY 104,121,410
EACH
REPORTING -------------------------------------------------
PERSON WITH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
None
- -------------------------------------------------
8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
66,410,741
- ------------------------------------------ --------------------
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
66,410,741
- ------------------------------------------- -------------------
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*
[ ]
- ---------------------------------------------------------------
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
10.06%
- ---------------------------------------------------------------
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
IA
- --------------------------------------------------------------
*SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT!
SCHEDULE 13G
Item 1 (a) Name of Issuer:
---------------
British Biotech PLC
Item 1 (b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
------------------------------------------------
Watington Road
Dowley, Oxford OX45LY
England
Item 2 (a) Names of Persons Filing:
------------------------
Mercury Asset Management Group plc
Mercury Asset Management plc
Item 2 (b) Address of Principal Business Office, or, if none, Residence:
--------------------------------------------------
Mercury Asset Management Group plc
33 King Williams Street
London EC4R9AS
England
Item 2 (c) Citizenship:
------------
England
Item 2 (d) Title of Class of Securities:
-----------------------------
Common Stock
Item 2 (e) CUSIP Number
---------------
110515103**
Item 3
Mercury Asset Management Group plc is a parent holding company in accordance
with section 240.13d-1(b)(ii)(G). Mercury Asset Management plc is a wholly-
owned subsidiary Mercury Asset Management Group plc and is a corporation
primarily engaged in the business of managing portfolio investments for its
investment clients.
Item 4 Ownership
----------
(a) Amount Beneficially Owned:
See Item 9 of Cover Pages. Pursuant to Section 240.13d-4, Mercury Asset
Management Group plc, (the "Reporting Company") disclaims beneficial
ownership of the securities of British Biotech PLC referred to herein,
and the filing of this Schedule 13G shall not be construed as an admission
that the Reporting Company is, for the purposes of Section 13(d) or 13(g) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act"), the beneficial owner of any
securities of British Biotech PLC referred to herein other than in the case
of such held by Management Asset Management Group plc in proprietary accounts.
(b) Percent of Class:
See Item 11 of Cover Pages
(c) Number of shares as to which such person has:
(i) sole power to vote or to direct the vote:
See Item 5 of Cover Pages
(ii) shared power to vote or to direct the vote:
See Item 6 of Cover Pages
(iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of:
See Item 7 of Cover Pages
(iv) shared power to dispose or to direct disposition of:
See Item 8 of Cover Pages
Item 5 Ownership Five Percent or Less of a Class.
------------------------------------------
If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof
the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five
percent of the class of securities, check the following [].
Item 6 Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person.
- ------------------------------------------------
Not Applicable
Item 7 Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the
Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company.
- --------------------------------------------------
See Exhibit A
Item 8 Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.
- --------------------------------------------------
Not Applicable
Item 9 Notice of Dissolution of Group.
-------------------------------
Not Applicable
Item 10 Certification.
- --------------
By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the
securities referred to above were acquired in the ordinary course of business
and were not acquired for the purpose of and do not have the effect of
changing or influencing the control of the issuer of such securities and
were not acquired in connection with or as a participant in any transaction
having such purposes or effect.
Signature.
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify
that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.
MERCURY ASSET MANAGEMENT GROUP PLC
MERCURY ASSET MANAGEMENT PLC
Date: February 17, 1998 By: James Stratford
----------------------
James Stratford*
Group Compliance Officer
----------------------
Title
Date: February 17, 1998 By: Helen Perkins
---------------------
Signature
Helen Perkins*
---------------------
Name
Authorized Signatory
---------------------
Title
- -----------------
* Designated Authorized Signatory.
EXHIBIT A TO SCHEDULE 13G
- -----------------------------
ITEM 7 DISCLOSURE RESPECTING SUBSIDIARIES
- -----------------------------------------
The relevant subsidiaries of Mercury Asset Management Group plc are:
(1) Mercury Asset Management plc, a corporation primarily engaged in business
of managing portfolio investments for its investment clients, organized under
the laws of England; (ii) Mercury Assets Management International, a corpora
tion primarily engaged in the business of managing portfolio investments for
its investment clients under the laws of England; (iii) Mercury Investment
Trust Management Co. Ltd., a corporation primarily engaged in the business
of managing portfolio investments for its investment clients organized under
the laws of England; (iv) Mercury Fund Managers Limited, a corporation primarily
engaged in the business of managing portfolio investments for its investment
clients,organized under the laws of England; (v) NBK Investment Management
Limited, a corporation primarily engaged in the business of managing portfolio
investments for its investment clients, organized under the laws of England;
and (vi) Mercury Assets Management Channel Islands Ltd., in the business of
managing portfolio investments for its investment clients, organized under
the laws of Jersey Channel Islands.
