[Form 4] Verona Pharma plc Insider Trading Activity

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Reporting person Mahendra Shah, a director of Verona Pharma plc (VRNA), reported multiple transactions tied to the companys takeover by Merck. At the 10/07/2025 effective time of a Scheme of Arrangement, each American Depositary Share (ADS) entitled holders to $107 in cash, reflecting $13.375 per ordinary share times eight ordinary shares per ADS. Restricted share units and in-the-money options were accelerated and converted into cash payments under the transaction agreement. Following the transactions, the reporting person holds no ordinary shares or derivative securities of the issuer.

Positive

• Accelerated RSU vesting converted to cash at $107 per ADS, providing immediate liquidity
• In-the-money options were settled for cash per the agreement, allowing recovery of value without exercise risk

Negative

• Director no longer holds equity in the issuer following the Scheme (reported beneficial ownership is 0)
• Large disposals reported (e.g., 200,000, 240,000 options) removed potential future upside tied to the company

Insights

Corporate Governance Analyst

Director converted equity to cash under the takeover; holdings now zero.

The reported transactions show acceleration and cash settlement of equity awards at an $107 per-ADS consideration at the Schemes effective time on 10/07/2025. Time-based RSUs were treated as vested and converted to cash and certain in-the-money options yielded cash equal to the excess of the ADS consideration over exercise price.

This eliminates the directors ongoing equity exposure and crystallizes realized value; monitor any related lock-up terms or tax-withholding mechanics for timing of cash receipt and reporting, which may occur within days to weeks after the effective date.

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
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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^*

SHAH MAHENDRA

(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		93,472	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)	$0.5038	10/07/2025		D			200,000	(6)	04/27/2032	Ordinary Shares(1)	200,000	(6)	0	D
Share Options (Right to Buy)	$2.67	10/07/2025		D			96,000	(6)	04/27/2033	Ordinary Shares(1)	96,000	(6)	0	D
Share Options (Right to Buy)	$1.9338	10/07/2025		D			240,000	(6)	04/28/2034	Ordinary Shares(1)	240,000	(6)	0	D
Share Options (Right to Buy)	$0.775	10/07/2025		D			64,000	(6)	08/08/2031	Ordinary Shares(1)	64,000	(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 Mahendra Shah	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).
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FAQ

What did Mahendra Shah report on Form 4 for Verona Pharma (VRNA)?

He reported acceleration and cash settlement of RSUs and in-the-money options at the Scheme effective time, resulting in no remaining beneficial ownership.

How much cash per ADS was paid under the Scheme of Arrangement?

Holders of ADSs were entitled to $107 per ADS, which equals $13.375 per ordinary share times eight ordinary shares per ADS.

When did the reported transactions occur?

The earliest transaction and the Scheme effective time reported was on 10/07/2025.

Did any equity awards remain outstanding after the transaction?

The filing reports RSUs and certain options were converted to cash and the reporting persons post-transaction beneficial ownership is reported as 0 ordinary shares and derivatives.

Which types of securities were settled in cash for the reporting person?

Time-based Restricted Share Units (RSUs) and in-the-money share options were accelerated and converted into cash per the Transaction Agreement.