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[Form 4] Verona Pharma plc Insider Trading Activity

Filing Impact
(Low)
Filing Sentiment
(Neutral)
Form Type
4

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Director Michael Austwick reported transactions tied to a company sale: at the 10/07/2025 effective time of a Scheme of Arrangement, outstanding time‑based restricted share units and in‑the‑money options were accelerated and converted into cash. Each American Depositary Share represented eight Ordinary Shares and received $107 in cash per ADS (equivalent to $13.375 per Ordinary Share). The filing shows a disposition of 12,712 Ordinary Shares and the vesting/conversion of awards equal to 72,000 Ordinary Shares (RSUs) and 144,000 underlying Ordinary Shares from share options, leaving 72,000 ADS-equivalent shares reported as beneficially owned following the RSU conversion.

Positive

  • Cash consideration of $107 per ADS paid to holders at the Effective Time
  • RSUs accelerated and cashed, converting 72,000 ADS-equivalent Ordinary Shares into cash
  • In‑the‑money options settled for cash under the agreement, crystallizing value for the reporting person

Negative

  • Director’s direct ownership reduced to zero for certain share classes after the transaction
  • Disposition of 12,712 Ordinary Shares reported, representing a reduction in reported holdings

Insights

Director holdings were largely cashed out under the takeover terms; awards accelerated and converted to cash.

The transaction reflects a corporate control event where outstanding equity awards (RSUs and options) were accelerated and converted into cash based on an agreed ADS consideration of $107 per ADS at the 10/07/2025 effective time. The filing records both dispositions and cash settlement mechanics rather than open-market trades.

Key dependencies include the Scheme of Arrangement and the Transaction Agreement terms that determined vesting acceleration and cash conversion. Monitor any post-closing disclosures on residual beneficial ownership or supplemental consideration in the near term.

SEC Form 4
FORM 4 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
OMB APPROVAL
OMB Number: 3235-0287
Estimated average burden
hours per response: 0.5
X
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
Check this box to indicate that a transaction was made pursuant to a contract, instruction or written plan for the purchase or sale of equity securities of the issuer that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c). See Instruction 10.
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person*
Austwick Michael

(Last) (First) (Middle)
3 MORE LONDON RIVERSIDE

(Street)
LONDON X0 SE1 2RE

(City) (State) (Zip)
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Verona Pharma plc [ VRNA ]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
X Director 10% Owner
Officer (give title below) Other (specify below)
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
10/07/2025
4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
X Form filed by One Reporting Person
Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Ordinary Shares(1) 10/07/2025 D 12,712 D (2)(3) 0 D
Ordinary Shares(1) 10/07/2025 M 72,000 A (4) 72,000 D
Ordinary Shares(1) 10/07/2025 D 72,000 D (4) 0 D
Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3) 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year) 7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4) 8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5) 9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4) 10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Restricted Share Unit(5) (4) 10/07/2025 M 72,000 (4) (4) Ordinary Shares(1) 72,000 (4) 0 D
Share Options (Right to Buy) $2.2938 10/07/2025 D 144,000 (6) 01/31/2034 Ordinary Shares(1) 144,000 (6) 0 D
Explanation of Responses:
1. Reported securities are represented by American Depositary Shares ("ADSs"), each of which represents eight (8) Ordinary Shares of the Issuer.
2. Represents Ordinary Shares of the Issuer acquired from the Reporting Person by means of a scheme of arrangement (the "Scheme of Arrangement") under Part 26 of the UK Companies Act 2006, pursuant to a transaction agreement, dated as of July 8, 2025 (the "Transaction Agreement"), by and among the Issuer, Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, a New Jersey limited liability company ("Parent") and Vol Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and wholly owned subsidiary of Parent ("Bidco").
3. At the effective time of the Scheme of Arrangement (the "Effective Time"), each holder of the Scheme Shares (as defined in the Scheme of Arrangement) became entitled to receive $13.375 in cash per Scheme Share, without interest and net of any applicable withholding taxes. Because each ADS represents a beneficial ownership interest in eight (8) Ordinary Shares of the Issuer, holders of ADSs as of the Effective Time became entitled to receive eight (8) times the foregoing cash amount, or $107 in cash, without interest and net of any applicable withholding taxes, per ADS (the "ADS Consideration").
4. Pursuant to the terms of the Transaction Agreement, immediately prior to the Effective Time, each outstanding time-based restricted share unit award ("RSU Award"), unless agreed otherwise, became fully vested, and at the Effective Time, was automatically converted into the right to receive an amount in cash (without interest and subject to all required withholding taxes) equal to the product of (i) the aggregate number of ADSs underlying such RSU Award and (ii) the ADS Consideration.
5. Represents an award of RSUs covering ADSs, which is presented in terms of the equivalent number of Ordinary Shares underlying the ADSs. Each RSU represents a contingent right to receive one (1) ADS of the Issuer. Each ADS represents eight (8) Ordinary Shares of the Issuer. The RSUs have no expiration date.
6. Pursuant to the terms of the Transaction Agreement, immediately prior to the Effective Time, each outstanding share option became fully vested, to the extent unvested, and at the Effective Time, each share option that had an exercise price less than the ADS Consideration was automatically converted into the right to receive an amount in cash equal to the product of (i) the aggregate number of ADSs underlying such share option and (ii) the excess, if any, of (a) an amount equal to the ADS Consideration over (b) the exercise price of such share option.
/s/ Andrew Fisher, Attorney-in-fact for Michael Austwick 10/08/2025
** Signature of Reporting Person Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number.

FAQ

What did Michael Austwick report on Form 4 for VRNA?

He reported accelerated vesting and cash conversion of awards and dispositions tied to a Scheme of Arrangement, showing conversions and cash payments at the Effective Time.

How much cash was paid per ADS in the transaction?

Holders of ADSs were entitled to $107 per ADS, which equals $13.375 per Ordinary Share.

How many RSU‑equivalent Ordinary Shares were converted to cash?

The filing shows 72,000 Ordinary Shares as the RSU equivalent that were converted into cash.

What happened to outstanding share options held by the reporting person?

Outstanding options were accelerated and, where the exercise price was below the ADS consideration, converted into a cash payment representing the excess; 144,000 Ordinary Shares underlying options were settled in cash.

Did the reporting person retain any beneficial ownership after the transactions?

Following the reported transactions, 72,000 ADS-equivalent Ordinary Shares are shown as beneficially owned in one of the reported lines.
Verona Pharma

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9.19B
73.30M
4.89%
95.18%
2.32%
Biotechnology
Pharmaceutical Preparations
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United Kingdom
LONDON