6-K

                                    FORM 6-K

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                        Report of Foreign Private Issuer
                        Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
                    under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                           For the month of July, 2003

                        Commission File Number 001-13896



                              Elan Corporation, plc
                 (Translation of registrant's name into English)


                 Lincoln House, Lincoln Place, Dublin 2, Ireland
                    (Address of principal executive offices)



     Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual
reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F:

                 Form 20-F /X/                Form 40-F / /


     Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in
paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1):

                      Yes  / /                     No /X/

     Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1) only permits the submission in paper of
a Form 6-K if submitted solely to provide an attached annual report to security
holders.


     Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in
paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7):

                      Yes  / /                     No /X/





                                      -2-


     Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7) only permits the submission in paper of
a Form 6-K if submitted to furnish a report or other document that the
registrant foreign private issuer must furnish and make public under the laws of
the jurisdiction in which the registrant is incorporated, domiciled or legally
organized (the registrant's "home country"), or under the rules of the home
country exchange on which the registrant's securities are traded, as long as the
report or other document is not a press release, is not required to be and has
not been distributed to the registrant's security holders, and, if discussing a
material event, has already been the subject of a Form 6-K submission or other
Commission filing on EDGAR.

     Indicate by check mark whether by furnishing the information contained in
this Form, the registrant is also thereby furnishing the information to the
Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

                      Yes  / /                     No /X/

     If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the
registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b):









This Report of Foreign Issuer on Form 6-K is incorporated by reference into the
Post-Effective Amendments on Forms F-3 and S-8 to Form F-4 Registration
Statement of Elan Corporation, plc (Registration No. 333-12756), the
Registration Statement on Form F-3 of Elan Corporation, plc and Athena
Neuroscience Finance, LLC (Registration No. 333-13130), and the Registration
Statements on Form S-8 of Elan Corporation, plc (Registration Nos. 333-13996,
333-12344, 333-11940, 333-09644, 333-09284, 333-09048, 333-08384, 333-07361,
333-07136, 333-14240, 33-27506 and 333-100252).












                                       EXHIBIT LIST


       Exhibit          Description
       -------          -----------

          99.1      Press release dated July 24, 2003 titled: Analysis of
                    Antegren(R) Phase III Induction Clinical Trial in Crohn's
                    Disease Completed.












                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.



                                  ELAN CORPORATION, plc



                                  By:   /s/ William F. Daniel
                                        -------------------------------
                                        William F. Daniel
                                        Company Secretary

Date: July 24, 2003

EX-99.1

                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1

Elan                                                         BIOGEN




                                                             
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Elan - Anita Kawatra           Biogen - Tim Hunt                   Ketchum - Amy Losak
212-407-5755                   617-914-6524                        646-935-3917

INVESTOR CONTACTS:
Elan - Jack Howarth (U.S.)     Elan - Emer Reynolds (Europe)       Biogen - Christina Dillon
212-407-5740                   353-1-709-4000                      617-679-2812



           ANALYSIS OF ANTEGREN(R) PHASE III INDUCTION CLINICAL TRIAL
                          IN CROHN'S DISEASE COMPLETED

Dublin, Ireland and Cambridge, MA - July 24, 2003 - Elan Corporation, plc
(NYSE:ELN) and Biogen, Inc. (NASDAQ:BGEN) announced today that the Phase III
induction trial of ANTEGREN(R) (natalizumab) did not meet the primary endpoint
of "response" as defined by a 70-point decrease in the Crohn's Disease Activity
Index ("CDAI") at week 10. This result appears to be due to a larger than
expected placebo response rate. However, data from the study indicate that the
biological activity of natalizumab was similar to that seen in the Phase II
study published in the New England Journal of Medicine earlier this year.
Additionally, there were no notable differences in the overall rates of side
effects between natalizumab and placebo treatment groups through week 12.

"Although we did not meet the primary endpoint at week 10, other data from the
trial suggest that natalizumab and its unique mechanism of action have an
important effect on inflammation and these data further support our hypothesis
that natalizumab will be useful in the treatment of immune-mediated diseases,"
said Lars Ekman, MD, PhD, Executive Vice President, Research and Development,
Elan. "We will meet with regulatory authorities to discuss these data and
determine the most appropriate path forward. In the meantime, we await results
from the Crohn's `maintenance' trial."

As seen in the Phase II study, a significant effect was seen on multiple markers
of inflammation including C-reactive protein and platelets in
natalizumab-treated patients as compared to placebo. After review of the data,
an analysis of a subset of patients comprising 72% of the total population
enrolled in ENACT-1 demonstrated evidence of active inflammation. This



substantial subset of patients with active inflammation had statistically
significant clinical response and remission rates at week 10 and multiple other
time points compared to placebo.

"These data show that natalizumab has an impact on biological activity in
patients with Crohn's disease," said Burt Adelman, MD, Executive Vice President,
Research and Development, Biogen. "The Phase III clinical trials evaluating
natalizumab in MS are on track. Previous studies have indicated natalizumab's
potential to reduce new inflammatory brain lesions and relapses in patients with
relapsing forms of MS."

The Study
- ---------
The Phase III, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial known as ENACT-1
(Evaluation of Natalizumab in Active Crohn's disease Therapy-1) randomized
patients to one of two treatment groups: 300 mg natalizumab or placebo in a 4:1
ratio (active to placebo) dosed at weeks 0, 4 and 8. The study evaluated 905
patients. The primary endpoint of "response" was defined as a 70-point decrease
in the CDAI score and "remission" was defined as a CDAI score of less than or
equal to 150, both at week 10. Secondary and tertiary endpoints included
"response" and "remission" at other time points through week 12, "time to
remission and response," mean changes in CDAI as well as quality of life
measurements and inflammatory markers (e.g., C-reactive protein).

The week 12 response and remission endpoints were significant compared to
placebo as was a secondary endpoint of IBDQ (Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Questionnaire - a validated quality of life measurement) at week 10. Over the
course of the study, the time to remission and, at weeks 6 through 12, mean
changes in CDAI were also significant in natalizumab treated patients compared
to those treated with placebo.

There were no notable differences in the overall rates of side effects between
natalizumab and placebo treatment groups through week 12. The most common
adverse events seen in the trial were headache, nausea and abdominal pain across
both groups.

Analysis is underway to better understand the unusually high placebo response
rate. Recently, high placebo response rates have been seen in Crohn's disease
studies. The unexpected high rate

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in ENACT-1 may be attributed to the study design: a 4:1 randomization ratio may
have led patients to believe that they would be assigned to the active treatment
arm and thus experience a beneficial effect from treatment.

The Phase III data will be shared in greater detail with the medical and
scientific community at medical meetings later this year.

Elan and Biogen are collaborating on the development, manufacturing and
marketing of natalizumab. Natalizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody, has a
novel mechanism of action: it is the first alpha-4 antagonist in the new SAM
(selective adhesion molecule) inhibitor class. The drug was designed to
selectively inhibit immune cells from leaving the bloodstream and to prevent
these cells from migrating into tissue (the gastrointestinal tract in Crohn's
disease and the brain in MS) where they may otherwise cause or maintain
inflammation.

Based on pre-clinical and investigational clinical studies demonstrating that
selectively inhibiting alpha-4 integrin may prevent inflammation in
immune-related inflammatory diseases, Elan and Biogen are pursuing a
comprehensive clinical development program in Crohn's disease and MS. Positive
findings from the Phase II studies in Crohn's disease and MS were published in
the January 2, 2003 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. To date, more
than 3,000 patients have participated in Phase III natalizumab clinical studies.

Ongoing Phase III Clinical Trial Program
- ----------------------------------------
In addition to ENACT-1, the natalizumab "maintenance" trial in Crohn's disease -
ENACT-2 (Evaluation of Natalizumab as Continuous Therapy-2) is ongoing.

Concurrently, two Phase III studies in MS are underway. AFFIRM (natalizumab
safety and efficacy in relapsing-remitting MS) will evaluate the ability of
natalizumab to slow the rate of disability in MS and reduce the rate of clinical
relapses; SENTINEL (safety and efficacy of natalizumab in combination with
AVONEX(R) [Interferon beta-1a] in patients with relapsing-remitting MS) will
determine if the combination of natalizumab and AVONEX is more effective than
treatment with AVONEX alone in slowing rate of disability and reducing rate of
clinical relapses.

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Crohn's disease
- ---------------
Approximately one million people worldwide have Crohn's disease, a chronic and
progressive inflammatory relapsing-remitting disease of the gastrointestinal
tract, which commonly affects both men and women. The disease usually causes
diarrhea, crampy abdominal pain, often fever, and at times rectal bleeding. Loss
of appetite and subsequent weight loss also may occur. Complications include
narrowing of the intestine, obstruction, abscesses, and fistulas (abnormal
channels connecting the intestine and other organs, including the skin),
malnutrition and decreased growth rate in children.

Elan is focused on the discovery, development, manufacturing, selling and
marketing of novel therapeutic products in neurology, pain management and
autoimmune diseases. Elan shares trade on the New York, London and Dublin Stock
Exchanges. For additional information about the company, please visit
http://www.elan.com.

Biogen is the world's oldest independent biotechnology company and a leader in
biologics research, development and manufacturing. A pioneer in leading edge
research in immunology, neurobiology and oncology, Biogen brings novel therapies
to improve patients' lives around the world through its global marketing
capabilities. For press releases and additional information about the company,
please visit http://www.biogen.com.

                                      # # #

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding the potential
for ANTEGREN and future development efforts. These statements are based on the
companies' current beliefs and expectations. Drug development and
commercialization involve a high degree of risk. A number of risks and
uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially. For example,
having failed to meet the primary endpoints in the ENACT-1 study, the companies
are unable to predict when and if a filing for regulatory approval in the
Crohn's indication will be made. Additional trials may be required to generate
sufficient data for such a filing that could involve significant delay and
expense. ANTEGREN development efforts could also be adversely affected if
unexpected concerns arise from additional data analysis or from new data or as a
result of discussions with regulatory authorities or other obstacles. Additional
risks and uncertainties related to the companies' businesses are described from
time to time in their respective periodic reports filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. The companies do not undertake any obligation to publicly
update their forward-looking statements, whether as the result of new
information, future events or otherwise.


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