Merck in talks to acquire respiratory drugmaker Verona Pharma: Report
Bengaluru: Merck is reportedly in talks to acquire lung disease-focused biotech Verona Pharma in a deal worth nearly USD 10 billion, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing sources close to the matter.
The pharmaceutical giant is expected to pay USD 107 per American Depositary Share (ADS) for Verona, as per Reuters.
Merck has relied on its best-seller Keytruda, which had nearly $30 billion in sales in 2024, to fuel its growth for years but the drug's patents will begin to expire in 2028. In response to that, the company has embarked on a spree of deals to diversify revenue streams.
Last month, FT reported that Merck has held talks to buy Swiss biotech MoonLake Immunotherapeutics for more than $3 billion.
In March, Merck said that it has signed an up to $2 billion licensing agreement for a heart disease drug with Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals.
Verona is a biopharmaceutical company working on developing therapies for the treatment of chronic respiratory diseases. Its first commercial product, Ohtuvayre, is used in the treatment of COPD, a chronic lung condition.
Verona reported total net revenue of $76.3 million in the first quarter of 2025.
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