Merck spends $10 billion for Verona, gaining access to its COPD medication

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Merck spends $10 billion for Verona, gaining access to its COPD medication

2025-07-09 20:19 Last Updated At：20:30

Pharmaceutical giant Merck is buying Verona Pharma, a company that focuses on respiratory diseases, in an approximately $10 billion deal.

The deal gives Merck access to Verona Pharma's new chronic obstructive pulmonary disease medication Ohtuvayre. U.S. regulators approved the inhaled medication more than a year ago to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, in adults.

“Ohtuvayre complements and expands our pipeline and portfolio of treatments for cardiopulmonary diseases while delivering near- and long-term growth as well as value for shareholders," Merck & Co. Inc. Chairman and CEO Robert Davis said in a statement.

Verona CEO David Zaccardelli added that Merck's commercial reach can help Ohtuvayre reach more COPD patients.

COPD is a progressive disease that can cause shortness of breath, coughing and other problems that make it hard to breathe, according to the National Institutes of Health. It is caused by damage to the airways or other parts of the lung and affects more than 14 million adults in the United States.

Ohtuvayre was launched last August as the first commercial product for London-based Verona Pharma. The drug also is being studied as a possible treatment for another chronic respiratory problem that gets worse over time: non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis.

Merck plans to pay $107 for each Verona Pharma American Depository Share, which represents eight of the company's ordinary shares.

The deal announced Wednesday has been approved by the boards of both companies and is expected to close in the fourth quarter. But it still needs Verona Pharma shareholder approval and sanction by the High Court of Justice of England and Wales.

Shares of Rahway, New Jersey-based Merck climbed 25 cents to $81.63 before markets opened Wednesday.

AP Health Writer Tom Murphy contributed to this report.

English actors Tom Hiddleston and Zawe Ashton welcome their second child

NEW YORK (AP) — English actors Tom Hiddleston and Zawe Ashton have welcomed their second child.

Hiddleston confirmed the news to GQ in a feature published Monday. He described birth as the “most beautiful, profound, earth-shattering, life-altering” experience. He did not share his child's birthday, but according to the feature, the interview took place in early December, and the birth was “just the other day.”

Hiddleston, 44, and Ashton, 41, first met while starring in a 2019 revival of the play “Betrayal.” They confirmed their engagement in 2022 and welcomed their first child later that year.

“Becoming a father is the most important and meaningful thing that's ever happened to me, and the most important thing I will ever do,” Hiddleston told The Associated Press earlier this year.

Both Hiddleston and Ashton were born in London. Hiddleston is best known for his portrayal of Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), beginning with the 2011 blockbuster “Thor” and continuing in the Disney+ series, “Loki.”

Ashton is also a member of the MCU, having portrayed Dar-Benn in the 2023 film “The Marvels.” She's also known for roles in “Fresh Meat,” “Not Safe for Work,” Netflix's “Velvet Buzzsaw” and other projects.

Representatives for Hiddleston and Ashton did not immediately reply to AP's request for comment.